Value orientation, Parental attitude and examination malpractice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate on value orientation, parental attitude and attitude to examination malpractice among senior secondary school students in Southern Educational Zone of Cross River State. To achieve the purpose of this study, two null hypotheses were generated to direct the study. Literature review was done according to the variables under study. Ex-post factor research design was adopted for the study. A sample of one thousand (1000) students was randomly selected. The selection was done through the simple random sampling technique. The questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection. The instrument was both face and content validated by the supervisors and experts in measurement and evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar, Calabar. The reliability estimates of the instruments established through split-halg reliability method. The reliability co-efficient ranges from 0.70-1.83. Pearson product moment correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance!(ANOVA)!were the statistical analysis techniques adopted to test the hypotheses under study. All hypotheses were subjected to testing at 0.05 level of significance with relative degrees of freedom. The results of the analysis revealed that, parental socio-economic status, parental occupation, parental educational level, family size, value orientation and parental attitude significantly influence students’ attitude towards examination malpractice in southern educational zone of Cross River State. Based on the results and findings of the study, it was recommended that Action arising from the results of the study could include the following to minimize examination!malpractice. the results of the study should be presented to the Department and Faculty. The counselors to Guidance and Counselling Units should discuss results at seminars organized by the!authority and regularly organise parents teachers association (PTA)!meeting!where school/examination related problems could be discussed. This is to create awareness for parents, counselors teachers, school and other stakeholders in education on the prevailing incidence of examination malpractice status. Teachers and consumers should help students to develop a sensitive self-concept and value orientation of themselves to abhor examination malpractice. !!Government, School Educational Board and non-governmental organizations should assist in providing schools with necessary learning facilities to improve upon the present teaching/learning situation. This will go a long way to helping the less privileged students. Teachers and counselors should identify strategies of reducing test anxiety by giving frequent tests to students as this may reduce malpractice behaviours during examination. Parents should not encourage malpractice behaviour among students by sponsoring them financially.!School authorities should ensure that teachers perform their duties effectively to avoid students’ involvement in examination malpractice. Dedicated teachers/students on examination ethics mattess should be identified and re-warded accordingly.There is need to re-emphasis continuous assessment in our secondary schools as it is predicated on the belief that several samples of an individual test records will give a better aggregate of individual students than a one sample or a few samples only would give. Besides, continuous assessment helps to check the incidence of examination malpractice, tremendous anxiety and nesvousness in students during examinations.!! Examination ethics code of conduct should be produced and distributed in schools and education offices. This should spell out duties and responsibilities as well as penalties needed for the conduct of examination in our secondary schools. Examination ethics clubs should also be formed in our secondary schools.