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Values define humans and distinguish them from animals. Humans without values are still humans but what sort?
Crime rate in the world has skyrocketed because people are, day by day, discarding the garment of values that secure their morality and humanity.
Nigeria is especially plagued with greatly destructive social vices ranging from terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and robbery. These crimes are easy to identify and condemn because they affect the security of everyone: the rich and the poor, the leaders and the led.
Economic hardship and ignorance and deficit in security infrastructure and architecture are largely responsible for those crimes. But the root cause of the economic hardship, ignorance and deficit in infrastructure is moral corruption and ineptitude.
The only official institution to impart moral values, leadership skills and prepare humans for future is the schools and the education system. Schools are not only to teach us how to earn a living but also how to live. Earning a living is critical to survival and welfare of the society. How we live and relate is essential to the preservation of civilization and sustenance of peaceful co-existence and progress. Unfortunately, the school system is being destroyed by examination malpractices.
There are fifth columnists in the executive, judiciary and the legislative arms of the government. This is not new. No society is perfect. But a nation where the majority are corrupt and crackpots is a nation derailing towards a precipitous avalanche. It is worse where the education system is corrupt as is the case of Nigeria.
Every corrupt leader, stakeholder, professional and priest is a product of a school or school of thought. Corruption may be impulsive but it is largely acquired, learnt and accumulated over time. Most Nigerian schools are rotten. One major area of criticism is examination malpractices.
The stench of examination malpractices is too galling not to be noticed by every discerning person. No amount of statecraft can avail a nation of corrupt people and mediocre.
Examination malpractice is rife in every part of Nigeria. Most national as well as internal examinations are marred by large scale cheating. Teachers, principals, examiners and invigilators are accomplices.
I saw an invigilator telling a class of candidates of one national exam to go and take their phones or books to use provided they paid certain amount of money. Prompt did more than half of the candidates sprang into action. I once marked a national examination and the coordinators directed us to add some marks to scores of students of some particular schools. It was then I stopped marking the examination.
I once visited a village boarding school where teachers robbed their final year secondary students of their money and food to facilitate their pass in their external exams. Worse, female students were sexually abused for this purpose.
I had met two assistant directors in their respective educational department who were spearheading impersonation and malpractice. They are likely products of malpractices. It is an irony that, at the back of every WAEC paper it is boldly written: EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE IS CORRUPTION. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN IT. What a contradiction and hypocrisy! Children and students raised in contradiction will live a life of contradiction and psychopathy as adults.
Passing an exam is different from being successful in life. Those who build success on cheating and wickedness are never heroes; whoever is not worthy of emulation is a failure. They cannot be role models even for their children. What gut have they to admonish their children to study hard, be honest and eschew exam malpractice if they were also ringleaders of the vice? Cheats die in guilty conscience.
Once you aid a candidate in the examination hall by supplying answers, allowing cross breeding, using of phones and impersonation especially after the invigilator or examiner has collected some gratification, you have created a lasting impression in the minds of the students and the budding leaders that bribery and corruption is a GOOD and EASY means of achieving one’s goal without stress.
Hard work, competence, determination and seriousness will be killed. Above all, honesty is killed. One person has rightly said that ‘the value of man lies in three things: knowledge, strength and honesty. If the last is missing, forget about the rest.’
Whoever has been a beneficiary of examination malpractice will feel no qualms in aiding any wrong cause so long it yields some financial gains. No beneficiary of dishonesty will ever promote or fight for honesty, except the repentant. This is why sabotage is common in the execution of some government policies and projects.
Reading culture and hard work is declining among students and the people because it is a general belief that there is a shortcut to success. Many read only to pass not to know. Much Nigerian academic research is just a mishmash of plagiarism and mediocrity; no originality or creativity. Researchers are mostly unwilling to write but for title and qualification and the supervisors are often unwilling to read but for honor and gratification.
These are all mines on our high ways. This is a time bomb. The fruit of this educational corruption is now ripe and ready for harvest. It is even falling down by itself without plucking.
There is rot in almost all institutions: the government, the politicians, the courts, the legal profession, the police, journalists, doctors, professionals and religious institutions.
This is where decisive action is required from governments of all levels to salvage this country from total collapse.
Governments must launch a campaign against examination malpractices in all forms and manners. Stiff punishment must be meted out to anyone found guilty of this crime against humanity.
No amount of prayers can earn a nation what it lacks due to moral deficit. No amount of prayers can earn a person what he or she lacks through moral deficit. Change your way in order to change your world. Change your mind in order to change your land. “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change the condition of their minds.” Says the Holy Qur’an.
