How to halt exam leakages

By Winston Muleba Jr.

Cheating during examination is recurring almost every year, in various institutions of learning globally and Zambian institutions are unexceptional. Despite intensive campaigns and warnings for Lecturers, teachers and students to stay away from exam leakages for many years now, some teachers and pupils were still nabbed in the last ended grade 12 examinations periods. 


It is very sad every year to note that even with massive sensitization and education some pupils and teachers are nabbed and found wanting. In view of this, five teachers and 13 pupils were nabbed on the Copperbelt in connection with examination malpractices. The five teachers were arrested in Kalulushi for allegedly being in possession of 2013 grade 12 mathematics paper two while the pupils were rounded up in Kitwe following a police operation in connection with examination leakages.

Examination malpractices have consistently remained a bane of Zambia’s educational system. This is an illegal practice which has been violating the worthiness of the examination in our country. It must be understood therefore, that there are so many factors which triggers the perpetrators to engage in examination malpractices and some of the few major causes of examination malpractices include:

        i.            Inadequate preparation for exams. This sometimes is as a result of some schools having a few numbers of teachers and few specialized ones, so students are not adequately prepared for the examinations but mostly this is as a result of laziness of students: Mainly seriousness is thrown to the wind by many students. Most of them have little time for their studies. They spend their time attending parties and other untoward behavior.

      ii.            Many students are desperate; they think passing the examination is a do or die affair; they want to excel by all means but lack determination.

    iii.            Corrupt invigilators and teachers: the students know that if they offers bribe to the invigilators. They will be allowed to cheat in the examination hall. The bribe could be offered to the teachers in monetary form or through sex by female pupils in exchange for a leakage.

To date, both the government and the Examinations Council of Zambia's efforts to find a solution to the scandalous leaks of examination papers have yielded minimal results although. Nevertheless this issue requires consented efforts of the all the teachers, parents and the students, so as to help both the government and all examining bodies  to find a solution to the scandalous leaks of examination papers which affect the education system thus, this can be best halted by many ways ,some which include:

           i.            Education stakeholders should take their responsibilities seriously and guidance counselors should be employed in all schools to guide the students on study habits, career prospects and requirement for various careers. This further extends to all stakeholders; parents, teachers and religious leaders to also teach the students good morals and above all, stakeholders like media houses, non-government organizations, etc. should mount up campaign programs against examination malpractices.

         ii.            Full implementation of the examination malpractices decree which provides for the imprisonment of culprits, this is to say the government should empower the judiciary sectors to promptly and adequately punish anybody guilty of examination malpractice, so as to ensure that anybody caught in the act of examination fraud should be made to face the consequences irrespective of his/her position or personality.

       iii.            Intensifying efforts in effective supervision of students during examinations.

       iv.            Increased emphasis on the use of continuous assessment by schools and examination boards in determining students’ success or failure in general examinations.

         v.            Termination of appointment of officials of examination boards and teachers involved in  examination malpractices in schools thus devoted teachers and principals should be employed

       vi.            Finally, the government at all levels should furnish schools with modern facilities to aid teaching and learning. Unless this is done, students will continue to learn in abstraction. They will continue to cheat defensively in examinations on the pretext that they have never done laboratory practices due to lack of facilities. Therefore, the government should step up efforts to furnish schools with needed facilities.

If the stipulated recommendations are implemented, examination malpractices could be halted to the barest minimum in Zambia.