Examination Fraud: The Bane of Educational Development in Benue State

Examination, an integral part of the teaching and learning process, has been used for ages as a means of ascertaining the status of achievement of individual learners. However, for some time now, some individuals have avoided the rigours of study and instead depended on fraudulent means to pass examination by indulging in examination malpractices thereby distorting its validity and reliability. Dearth of qualified teachers, inadequate facilities, underfunding of the educational sector, undue emphasis on certificates, corruption and inadequate preparation are some factors responsible for the proliferation and sustenance of this malaise, which distorts the assessment of students’ academic performance. The attendant consequences have dangerous psychological implications for the individuals and families besides posing grave socio-economic challenges to Nigeria’s development. This paper recommends, among others, that the Government and stakeholders should adequately fund education to ensure provision of infrastructure, adequate staffing and reintroduction of boarding facilities in all post-primary institutions as steps towards curbing this social ill in Benue State and Nigeria.