Nigeria reels under exam fraud, certificate racketeering

…Parents in shameful support of malfeasance

Increasingly, cases of certificate racketeering have become rife. Right from primary school these days, pupils are engaging in examination malpractice, in some cases backed by their parents and teachers.

Results in external examinations are suspect and many candidates rely on help from teachers and invigilators to make their papers.

Many of those with fantastic results cannot defend these results. The National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) recently delisted names of participants who allegedly forged their called-up letters.

This is coming a year after the Ejikeme Mmesoma’s JAMB result forgery scandal.

Mmesoma was alleged by JAMB to have inflated her mark from 249 to 362 to emerge the top scorer in the 2023 UTME.

Patrick Ogbuagu, a civil servant sees the surging instances of examination malpractice and certificate forgery as being fueled by the unhealthy emphasis placed on certificate qualification in Nigeria.

“A student is expected to obtain credit pass in five subjects including English Language and Mathematics to be admitted in universities, and even in some institutions, this must come in one sitting,” he noted.

Ogbuagu reiterated that the high value placed on success in examinations such as WAEC and UTME make some candidates use illegal and unethical means to pass.

“More worrisome is the fact that these nefarious acts by the candidates are aided by “miracle examination centres”, study centres or schools that specialise in manipulations, and examination malpractices,” he said.

These centres are known for institutionalising cheating in the school certificate and other related examinations.

Read also: Oloyede exposes underage admission, other racketeering in Nigerian universities

Oyebola Ajiteru, an educationist said many private schools involved in miracle centres take advantage of the learning gaps in public schools to indulge in such acts.

“I have seen parents go out of their way to inquire about special centres where their children will have access to ‘chips’ and special assistance from the teachers, cum invigilators, just to make sure they pass their examinations,” she said.

These private schools according to study, either help leak examination questions in advance, or compromise the examinations once the question papers arrive at the venues.

Experts expressed concern that the special examination centres’ practices cast doubt on the quality of students admitted into Nigeria’s higher education, the quality of the workforce and that of political leaders.

Samuel Olukayode, a teacher blamed the rather thriving tradition to immoral societal value of success at all cost, and the end justifies the means philosophy common with Nigerians.

“The societal values and practice is giving impetus to these immoral acts; coupled with inefficient teaching and learning practices that makes the existence of the miracle centres ideal to the apostles of cheating,” he said..

Besides, he said inordinate quest for profit is another major driver of private schools generally and the centres particularly.

Similarly, he pointed out that certificate forgery has become a prevalent and detrimental practice in the country.

“It undermines the credibility of educational and professional qualifications, hindering individuals’ legitimate aspirations and impeding the country’s economic progress,” Olukayode said.

Read also: Unilorin expels students over exam malpractices

“In a society where academic qualifications are often seen as the key to success, it is no surprise that certificate forgery has become a prevalent issue in Nigeria.

“The allure of obtaining a forged certificate is undeniable, as it can open doors to employment, educational opportunities, and social advancement,” he added.

Certificate forgery may not be entirely new in Nigeria but it took a frightening dimension since the restoration of civil rule in 1999 as desperate politicians across the nation seek quick and illegal avenues to upgrade their academic inadequacies while aspiring for public offices.

Many who venture into this immoral act are led by the desperation to make ends meet.

In a country with high unemployment rates and limited opportunities, a forged certificate can be seen as a way to escape poverty and improve one’s life chances.

Unfortunately, the propagators of this act are encouraged by the efforts of the ecosystem that embraces cheating and obtaining by tricks.

For instance, the recent Cotonou University certificate scandal story which indicted the Beninese University that issued the certificate, also exposed the Nigerian collaborators.

The racketeering agents in Nigeria worked hand-in-hand with the top management of the university campus in Cotonou.

Read also: JAMB okays senate’s probe of alleged admission fraud

Speaking on why the law enforcement agencies have not being able to arrest the prevailing situation, Friday Erhabor, the director of media and strategies at Marklenez Limited, said the nefarious act is not only on certificate forgery or examination malpractice, but general lack of political will to enforce laws prevalent in the system.

“The major problem in Nigeria is not lack of laws, but the political will to enforce our laws. As it is with traffic laws, electoral laws, anti-corruption laws, that’s how it is with certificate forgery.
“When laws are not enforced, it emboldens criminals to commit more crimes. But once someone is caught for forging certificate and the person is arraigned and convicted, it sends strong message to other criminals,” he noted.

A school teacher, who shared with BusinessDay a recent case that involved her son and the school he went to write his external examination said that the principal of the school seized the boy’s bag for refuring to pay “sorting” money.

She said: “I asked my son one day about his school bag and his calculator. He told me that his principal seized it because he did not pay some amount of money other students paid to ‘sort’ out invigilators. I threatened that I was going to confront the principal and make a noise about it, if he did not release the bag.

“You see, this thing has eaten deep into the Nigerian system. The value system has broken down. Parents are now championing such frauds in society. Those in the government cannot help because they are the people setting the dangerous pace,” the woman said on condition of anonymity.