ABSTRACT
The study examined how truancy affects examination
malpractices among senior secondary school students in Ifako Ijaiye Local
Government Area of Lagos State. The study went further to investigate the acts
that constitutes truancy and examination malpractices among senior secondary
schools students in Lagos State, Nigeria, the school and personal related
factors responsible for truancy among senior secondary school students in Lagos
State, Nigeria, the effects of truancy on examination malpractices in senior
secondary schools in the State and the measures currently taken to discourage
and prevent truancy and examination malpractices among senior secondary school
students in the State.
Secondary data provided at Ijaiye Ojokoro Senior High
School helped to see the extent of truancy among the senior secondary school
students through the 2014/2015 academic sessions’ attendance register and the
academic performance of the selected truants were accessed from the broad sheet
for the 2014/2015 academic session.
Staying out of school without permission, absenteeism
from school for more than ten times, engagement of students in anti – social
behaviours, skipping lessons even while in school missing school because of undone assignments
and staying out of classroom can lead students into bad association were all
statements the respondents agreed with en masse as acts that constitutes
truancy.
Learner’s fear of a threatening situation at school
can make him play truancy (56.5%),
students’ inability to cope with academic expectations and demands (93.5%), a child
can decide to absent himself from school so as to avoid being
bullied/threatened by older students (67.7%), too much discipline/punishments
by teachers can lead a student into truant behaviour (75.8%), a child can
become a truant through his/her choice of friends (95.2%), several home factors
may contribute to the truant behaviour of students (91.9%), insufficient and
dilapidated physical facilities such as classrooms, furniture and other
conveniences (72.6%) of the respondents
agreed that poor educator – learner relationship (69.4%), teaching or
instructional approach (56.5%) and shyness of repeaters to sit in classroom
with younger students (98.45%) contributed immensely to truancy among the
senior secondary school students.
Periodic counselling approach, using a variety of
instructional approach, effective monitoring and recording of students’
attendance, building learners resiliency, acting fast on learners absence from
school, prosecuting parents of truants
and blacklisting of the affected examination centres showed positive relationship with staying out
of school without permission; therefore the aforementioned measures shall be
very effective in the reduction of truancy which will consequently reduce the incidences
of examination malpractices among the senior secondary school students in Ifako
Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State.
TABLE OF CONTENT
PAGE
Title
page i
Certification
page ii
Acknowledgements
iii
Dedication iv
Table
of content v
List
of Tables x
List
of Figures xi
Abstract
xii
CHAPTER ONE; INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background
to the study 1
1.2 Statement
of the problem 6
1.3.i Research
questions 7
1.3.ii Research
hypothesis 7
1.4 Purpose
of the study 8
1.5 Significance
of the study 8
1.6 Scope
of the study 9
1.7 Definition
of terms 9
CHAPTER TWO; LITERATURE
REVIEW 11
2.1 Theoretical
framework 12
2.2 History
of truancy in Nigerian Senior Secondary Schools 13
2.3 History
of examination malpractices in Nigeria
2.3.1 Causes
of Examination Malpractices 15
2.3.2 Forms
of Examination Malpractices 16
2.3.3 Agents
of Examination Malpractices 16
2.4 Factors responsible for truancy among Senior
Secondary School Students 16
2.5 The
effects of truancy on examination malpractices among the Senior
Secondary
School Students 18
2.6 Possible
solutions to truancy among senior secondary school students 19
2.7 Transformative
Education 20
2.8 Principles
of Transformative Education 22
2.9 Conceptual
framework of the study 23
2.9.1. Early
Interventions 24
2.9.1.1. Family
Engagement 24
2.9.1.2. Early
Childhood Education 24
2.9.2. Basic
Core Strategies 25
2.9.2.1.
Mentoring/Tutoring 25
2.9.2.2.
Alternative Schooling 25
2.9.2.3.
After-School Opportunities 26
2.9.3.
Instructional Practices 26
2.9.3.1.
Professional Development 26
2.9.3.2. Active
Learning 26
2.9.3.3. Educational Technology 27
2.9.3.4. Individualized Instruction 27
2.9.3.5. Career and Technical Education (CTE) 27
2.10 Literature
Appraisal 28
CHAPTER THREE;
METHODOLOGY 30
3.1 Research
design 30
3.2 Population 30
3.3 Sample
and sampling techniques 30
3.4 Research
instruments 31
3.5 Validity
and reliability of the instrument 32
3.6 Administration
of instrument 33
3.7 Method
of data analysis 33
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION 34
4.0 Introduction 34
4.1.1. Gender
of truants 34
4.1.2. Class
distribution of truants 35
4.1.3. Distribution
of Truants’ Attendance for third term 35
4.1.4. Distribution
of Academic Performance of Truants 35
4.2: Acts
That Constitutes Truancy and Examination Malpractices in Senior
Secondary Schools in Lagos State. 36
4.3: Acts
That Constitutes Truancy and Examination Malpractices in Senior
Secondary
Schools in Lagos State. 38
4.4: Factors
Responsible For Truancy among Senior Secondary School
Students
in Lagos State, Nigeria. 40
4.5: Correlation analysis showing the relationship
between truancy and examination
malpractices
among senior secondary school in Lagos State. 48
4.5.1 Staying
out of school without permission. 48
4.5.2. Absenteeism
from school for more than ten times in a term. 49
4.5.3. Engaging
in anti-social behaviours. 49
4.5.4 Skipping
lessons even while in school. 50
4.5.5 Missing
school because of undone assignments. 51
4.5.6 Staying
out of classroom can lead students into bad association. 51
4.6: Correlation
analysis showing the relationship between truancy and
examination malpractices among
senior secondary school students
in
Lagos State 53
4.6.1 Seeking
for undue advantage over others in an examination 53
4.6.2. Copying
other students’ work during examinations. 53
4.6.3. Bringing
prepared answers to examination halls 54
4.6.4. School
authorities colluding with examination officials and invigilators
to
assist students 54
4.6.5. Invigilators
conniving with students to cheat in examination halls. 55
4.7: Correlation
analysis showing the relationship between truancy and
examination malpractices among
senior secondary schools students in
Lagos
State 56
4.7.1Sending of prepared answers by teachers to
students during examinations. 57
4.7.2 Copying
answers directly from modules or textbooks during examinations.57
4.7.3 Hiring
other people to write the examinations through impersonation 58
4.7.4 Writing
the examinations in special centres noted for examination
malpractices 58
4.7.5 Overcrowding
the examination hall with many students during
examination.
59
4.7.6 Lack
of effective supervision of students during examinations 59
4.8: Correlation
analysis showing the relationship between school related
and
personal related factors responsible for truancy among senior
secondary
school students. 60
4.8.1 A learner’s fear of a threatening situation at
school makes him play truant 61
4.8.2 Truancy can occur when too many assignments are
given to students. 61
4.8.3 A
child can decide to absent himself from school so as to avoid being bullied/ threatened
by older students. 61
4.8.4 A
child can become a truant through his/her choice of friends. 61
4.9: correlation
analysis showing the relationship between school related
and
personal related factors responsible for truancy among senior
secondary
school students. 62
4.9.1 Overcrowding
the classrooms with students 63
4.9.2 Several
home factors may contribute to truant behaviour 63
4.9.3 Insufficient
and dilapidated Physical facilities 63
4.9.4 Movement
between classes during lesson change can also influence
truancy 63
4.9.5 Poor
educator – learner relationship 63
4.10: Regression
analysis showing the difference between examination
malpractices
and truancy among senior secondary school students in
Lagos
State. 64
4.11: Regression
analysis showing the difference between measures currently
taken
to discourage and prevent truancy and examination malpractices
among
senior secondary school students in Lagos State. 66
4.2 Discussion
of findings 67
5.0
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 69
5.1
Summary of findings 69
5.2
Conclusions 71
5.3
Implications 72
5.4
Recommendations 72
5.5
Suggestions for further
research 73
REFERENCES 74
QUESTIONNAIRE 81
LIST OF FIGURES PAGE
Figure 2.1: Systems
theory 12
Figure 2.2: conceptual
framework of the study 23
Figure 4.1: Effects
of truancy on examination malpractices in secondary
schools
in Lagos State 42
Figure 4.2: Measures
that can be taken to discourage and prevent truancy
Among
senior secondary school students in Lagos State. 44
Figure 4.3: Measures
currently taken to discourage and prevent
examination
malpractices 46
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Background to the Study
Truancy is one of the major antisocial
discipline problems among secondary school students in Nigeria. The concept and
acts of indiscipline have received a lot of attention by researchers. Peck
opined that the various behavioural disorders like stealing, violence, drug
abuse, examination malpractice, sexual abuse and truancy have so undermined
effective teaching-learning processes that some teachers have become helpless
and disorganized in their task of impacting knowledge to the learners (Peck,
2002).
In recent times, education has been
recognized globally as one of the universal ways of survival and improvement of
the well-being of individuals and society. The advent of formal education is
considered as the foundation for national development as well as the surest way
of making of life long achievements. For these reasons, families and citizens
especially the youth and children now pay more attention to education. (Ogbonna
et.al, 2013).
However, the effort invested by the
federal government of Nigeria on education had over the years proven a fruitful
and promising reward to national development posing a lively hope for the
better in the immediate future. It is of no doubt that several factors have
posed relentless restriction to the trend of the rapid development in
education; for which truancy in both student and teachers in primary and
secondary schools has been a cankerworm to education. This has raised several
questions to the quality of education and educational administration in
Nigerian Secondary Schools. (Ogbonna
et.al, 2013).
According to Huzinga and Thornberry
(2000), Truancy is defined as having an unexcused absence from school for at
least three school days during five-day school week. Moreover, Salford City
Counsel Report (2008) defined Truancy as the act when a child, who is believed
to have been at school, fails to attend school classes without the permission
or awareness of the parents or the school authority concerned. Truancy is an
international unauthorized absence from school activities. Echebiwe (2009) defined Truancy as a
situation when a child under sixteen years of age who is registered at school
fails to attend classes without prior formal permission from the parent or
school authority. Not only do these issues present immediate concerns, there
are also ramifications of these issues that can affect a person later in
adulthood.
Therefore, Truancy is the practice of
staying away from school without permission
(Sydney, 2013). A child who engages in this act is therefore referred to as a Truant.
This implies that every child is expected to be in school and must be present
in school and class attendance regularly unless when a child is duly permitted
to be absent in respect to health reasons or otherwise stated. (Ogbonna et.al, 2013).
However, children who engage in Truancy
might have found life in classrooms dull, boring and uninteresting. Also, they
must have found greater pleasure and interest in activities outside the school
and the classroom environment. Such children usually leave their homes giving
everybody the impression that they have gone to school, but stopped on the way
side to participate in what they like to enjoy most. This they do until it is
time for school dismissal and they return home. Some others are caught playing
round the street with other Truants, engaging in gambling and loitering round
the school premises. This is because some Truants get scared of some unfriendly
treatment from teachers, unpleasant encounters during classroom work,
unnecessary harassment and embarrassment by the senior students. These lead to
loss of interest in academics in the classroom by the student.
Some Truants engage in Truancy because of
the feeling of inferiority among their classmates, laziness to class work,
challenges of classroom test and assignments, verbal abuses and threats of
classroom instructors, school phobia, anxiety, bullying, lack of skills needed to
perform well at school, lack of priority to education and academics (Kirk
et.al, 2013). The school has also been identified as a
strong factor responsible for truancy. Adewole reported that breakdown of
communication, student over population, shortage of teachers, undue application
of corporal punishment as well as peer influence at school are strongly
associated with truancy.
Furthermore, the impact of truancy is very
obvious and usually a negative one on Truants’ present and future life in
education. Truancy results in loss of intellectual development and lack of
improvement of individual. Also, it leads to poor academic performance at the
end of the school periods, school terms and school year. Truancy as a threat to
academic performances of the student is believed to reduce the quality of
education the child receives. It reduces the standard of academic achievement
of a child. It leads to the fall of educational standard in schools. It
increases the rate of examination malpractices and poor examination results of
both internal and external examinations. Truancy is also a factor that
contributes to idleness, joblessness, unemployment and underemployment of most
adults today, just because they engaged in the act of Truancy during their
school days. (Ogbonna, et. al, 2013). In
past research, truancy has been found to be related to various types of
delinquency, including gang activity, alcohol and drug abuse, serious property
crimes and examination malpractices (Baker, et. al 2001).
Examination malpractices in all its
form is a major social problem in
Nigeria. In the last two decades the country witnessed an alarming rate of
increase in examination misconducts especially at the secondary school level.
Evidences abound of increasing rate of examination malpractices by students,
teachers and parents. Examination malpractice has become so widespread that
there is virtually no examination anywhere at all levels and even outside the
formal school system that it does not take place. Every examination season
witnesses the emergence of new and clever ways of cheating. (Jimoh, 2009).
Unfortunately, the process of examination in Nigeria secondary
schools has become a “contemporary shame” (Nwadiani, 2005). This is because of
the phenomenon of examination malpractice that has become endemic in the
educational system. The examination Malpractice Act (1999) explains examination
malpractice as any act of omission or commission by a person who in
anticipation of, before, during or after any examination fraudulently secured
any unfair advantage for him/ herself or any other person in such a manner that
contravenes the rules and regulations to the extent of undermining the
validity, reliability, authenticity of the examination and ultimately the
integrity of the certificates issued. Oluyeba and Daramola (cited in Alutu and
Aluede, 2006) remarked that examination malpractice is any irregular behaviour
exhibited by a candidate or anybody charged with the conduct of examination
before, during or after the examination that contravenes the rules and
regulations governing the conduct of such examination.
Nigeria’s education system is largely certificate oriented. So much
value and emphasis are placed on certificates instead of knowledge, skills and
competence. According to Nwandiani (2005), the market place value and reward
for the level and face value quality of certificates promote tendencies for and
acts of cheating in the process of certification. Many school leavers and
dropouts have certificates without knowledge and skills. Most of the social
maladies like manufacture and sale of fake drugs by pharmacists, collapse of
buildings, massive fraud in banks and miscarriage of justice are consequences
of over emphasis and value on certificates. And if this trend is allowed to
continue, the country will end up with doctors who cannot differentiate between
vein and artery, lawyers who cannot differentiate between an accused person and
the complainant and teachers who may not be able to spell the names of their
schools correctly (Orbih, 2006). It is high time the nation took certificates
no more as passports to jobs or higher education; more emphasis should be placed
on the competence and skill acquisition. The implication of this is that
assessment of students should no longer be based on one almighty examination;
rather, it should be continuous, from the very first day at school to the very
last day. Continuous Assessment should be properly implemented. In addition,
there should be re-orientation in the value system of the country. (Jimoh
2009).
The phenomenon of examination malpractice
seems to be aggravated by the large scale and shameful involvement of dishonest
and greedy teachers, school heads, parents and all those who take part in
examination administration. The prominence assumed by this malady in the school
system has become a source of concern to stakeholders in the education
industry. Every examination season witnesses new and ingenious methods of
cheating. The examination process has become endangered to the extent that
certification has almost lost its credibility in the country. Certificates no
longer seem to reflect skill and competence. Accusing fingers have been pointed
at teachers, school heads, parents, students, examination officials and even
security agents as those responsible for examination malpractice in the school
system. (Ijaiya, 1998).
Common observations in the State show that
examination malpractices occur in both public and private secondary schools.
Although some researchers argued that examination malpractices occur at a high
rate in public schools (Baiyelo, 2004; Daniel, 2005), other researchers
(Ijaiya, 1998; Igwe, 2004) were of the view that examination malpractices occur
at a high rate in private schools. None of these researchers have been able to
identify whether or not examination malpractices was at a higher rate in public
schools than in private schools. The argument therefore is, are public
secondary schools more involved in examination malpractices than private
schools in the State? In the past two decades, common observation in the school
system showed that public schools were engaged in examination malpractices at a
high rate while private schools were model schools (Aghenta, 2000; Adeyegbe,
2002). These days, it is common to find students who failed the senior
secondary certificate examination in public schools going to retake the
examination in private schools and at the same time passing the examination
with credits and distinctions in such schools. It seems that the need to have
good results in public examinations and advertise their schools to
prospective students in the wake of money making appears to have led
many private schools to be involved in examination malpractices. (Adeyemi,
2010)
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
For a while now, the school structure has
been faced by a number of hitches. These hitches affects classroom instruction,
school administration and the overall performance of students. It affects
academic performance both in internally and externally conducted examinations.
Among these problems are truancy, bullying, fighting, rape and, cultism that
have affected the teaching - learning process adversely and made the learning
environment an uninteresting place to both the teacher and the students.
(Ogbonna et.al). The
persistent occurrence of examination malpractices has been a major concern to
educationists (Aghenta, 2000; Ige, 2002). Knowing the importance of
examinations in the educational system of the State, the instances of
malpractices during examinations have been identified (Cromwell, 2000;
Adeyegbe, 2002). Despite the high premium placed on examinations by the
National Policy on Education (FGN, 2004), it seems that examination
malpractices have not been properly addressed in Lagos State, Nigeria. Common
observations have shown that there are mass cheatings in public examinations in
the State. Nothing concrete has been done to reduce the problem except the
cancellation of results for a particular centre or the withholding of results
in certain subjects. (Adeyemi, 2010).
Therefore, it is the concern of this work to look
into how truancy among several factors affects examination malpractices among
senior secondary school students in Lagos State (A case study of Ifako – Ijaye
Local Government Area of Lagos State).
1.3 i Research Questions
The following research questions were addressed in
the study.
a.
What acts constitutes truancy and
examination malpractices among senior secondary schools students in Lagos State, Nigeria?
b.
What
are the school and personal related factors responsible for truancy among senior
secondary school students in Lagos State, Nigeria?
c. What are
the effects of truancy on examination malpractices in senior secondary schools
in the State?
d. What are the measures currently taken to
discourage and prevent truancy and examination malpractices among senior secondary
school students in the State?
Research Hypotheses
1.
There
is no significant relationship between truancy and examination malpractices
among senior secondary schools students in Lagos State.
2.
There
is no significant relationship between school related and personal related
factors responsible for truancy among senior secondary school students.
3.
There
is no significant difference between examination malpractices and truancy among
senior secondary school students in Lagos State.
4.
There
is no significant difference between measures currently taken to discourage and
prevent truancy and examination malpractices among senior secondary school
students in Lagos State.
1.4 Purpose of the study
The
main purpose of this research work was to investigate how truancy affects examination
malpractices among senior secondary school students in Ifako-Ijaiye Local
Government Area of Lagos State.
However,
the specific purposes were to:
a. identify
reasons why senior secondary school students engage themselves in truancy
b. investigate factors responsible for truancy among senior secondary
school students
c. find
out effects of truancy on examination malpractices among the senior secondary
school students
d. suggest possible solution to truancy and
examination malpractices among senior secondary school students
1.5 Significance of the
Study
Improving student attendance and truancy
prevention have always been areas of concern for educators, as well as,
community members, and legislators. Students who are not in school cannot
learn, and frequently drop out. Truant students often engage in high-risk
behaviors such as examination malpractices which eventually entangle them in
the juvenile justice system (Jay and
Mary, 2005). The
seriousness of examination malpractice and its widespread manifestation have
received attention in research. It has generated both public and private
discussions Ijaiya, (1998); Sooze, (2004)). The Exam Ethics Project (EEP), led
by Ike Onyechere, is currently leading a campaign against examination
malpractices. Various bodies have also come up with policies on examination
malpractices. The Lagos State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has
also organized a public relations workshop to sensitize the public on the evils
of examination malpractices. Topics covered included the causes of examination
malpractices and other public offences in Nigeria and factors motivating
students to go into cheating in examinations among others (Ozor), 2004).
Therefore, the government,
curricular planners, school administrators, teachers, students and other
stakeholders in the educational field, should work collaboratively to fight the
menace of truancy as it helps to foster examination
malpractices among secondary schools particularly those in senior secondary
schools and in our tertiary institutions.
1.6 Scope of the study
Attempt was made by this
study to unveil how truancy affects examination malpractices among secondary
school students in Lagos State. The proposed area of study is Ifako-Ijaiye
Local Government of Lagos where secondary school students shall be used as
respondents to elicit information about truancy and its effect on examination
malpractices among secondary school students of the afore mentioned location.
1.7 Definition of Terms
The
following terms operationally defined as follows;
Truancy: this refers to the absence of a child from school without
permission.
Truant Student: students who have more than 10 unexcused/unverified
absences in an academic
School
year.
Examination:
an exercise designed to evaluate progress, test qualification or knowledge. It
can also be referred to as a formal interrogation that seeks to test ability in
various ways. Examination can be written, oral or practical.
Malpractices: this
is simply a dereliction (intentional neglect) of professional duty.
Examination Malpractices:
is any act of omission or commission by a
person who in anticipation of, before, during or after any examination
fraudulently secured any unfair advantage for him/ herself or any other person
in such a manner that contravenes the rules and regulations to the extent of
undermining the validity, reliability, authenticity of the examination and
ultimately the integrity of the certificates issued.
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