The issue of examination malpractices is not a new thing in the nation's education sector. To a crawling child, it stands as a means of getting certificate sans adequate knowledge and experiences through illegal processes. Examination malpractices can be traced as far back as to 1977 days when WAEC first had an unprecedented leakage in the senior school certificate examination infamously captioned as 'EXPO 77'.Some years later, other examination bodies such as JAMB,NECO and NABTEB joined the 'progressive' train. Experienced the same thing! It is no longer story that different categories of people are involved in the illicit act, which has dealt a great blow to the country educational system in all spheres. From students themselves, teachers, invigilators, parents and guardians, security agents and custodians to examination bodies and government. With their involvement, Nigeria has been regarded as 'misplacement of trust' nation. Since the first leakage, secondary school certificate has become nothing, especially in judging the capability and competence of graduating secondary school students in subjects claimed to have score better grades. However, this piece intends to examine the new trends in perfecting examination malpractices also known as 'microchip' or òríjò in Yorùbá parlance in our public secondary schools. From the north, east, west to the south of the country. The story is not quite different. In the past, we used to have 'malpractices styles' such as gyraphing, pàrísé( finished it all) . Now, the new styles have emerge in the forms of Appearance+ and NA. Appearance+ signifies that, the candidate will appear on the examination days plus little help, either by buying prepared answer booklet or 'through textbooks fielding'. That is, showing the candidate the exact place where the solutions can be found. NA, on the other hand, means that the candidate will not appear at all! But helped through another person presence during examinations. At this juncture, it should be noted that, the cost for each category is quiet different. For the appearance+, the charge is between #13,000 to 15,000. While NA costs #25,000 and above. Having written the concerned examinations(WAEC, NECO and NABTEB), the principals also know how to perfect their ways at marking centres. The act has so engrossed in the veins and artieries of the perpetrators to the exent that we cannot produce productive minds for the optimum utilization of the nation's resources. Abraham Lincoln once said '' the philosophy of the classroom today will be the philosophy of government tomorrow'' This brings out the fact that, the unending struggle ( in education) with others in the wider social sphere, for social and material advantage through crooked means can only end Nigeria in having 'half caked' graduates in leadership positions in public sphere, especially political functionaries. Any antidote for this problem?
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