Bukola Abe
The rise in examination malpractice and declining academic performance among students has been linked to both parents and teachers, who are being accused of fostering a culture that undermines educational integrity.
This position was expressed by the Lagos State Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Comrade Kazeem Labaika, during an appearance on Dateline Lagos, a participatory programme on Radio One.
Comrade Labaika alleged that many parents place excessive emphasis on certificates and academic qualifications, often pressuring their children to cheat in order to pass exams. He said some parents even collude with teachers and invigilators to facilitate exam fraud.
He stressed the need to abandon the mentality that children must be “helped” to succeed at all costs, urging the government to fulfil its campaign promises by restoring order and discipline to the education system, starting from the grassroots.
Also speaking on the programme, a child and educational psychologist, Professor Hakeem Owolabi, highlighted the negative impact of social media on students’ academic performance. He observed that many students are distracted and no longer give priority to their studies.
Professor Owolabi further criticised the trend of reducing cut-off marks in tertiary institutions to accommodate low-performing students, warning that such practices devalue the country’s educational system.
He called on stakeholders across the education sector to instil discipline in students and discouraged the policy of automatic promotion, describing it as a contributor to student complacency.
Professor Owolabi also condemned schools and parents who facilitate exam malpractice through illegal “special centres,” insisting that such individuals should be prosecuted to deter others.