Students not only ones to blame for exam malpractice — Exams Ethics Country Director
The Country Director of Exams Ethics Marshall International, Dr Kofi Ashiboe-Mensah, has called for a change in how examination malpractice is tackled in Ghana, stressing that students should not be the only ones blamed for the problem.
Speaking on the Business Breakfast show on Zed 101.9FM, Dr Ashiboe-Mensah highlighted various forms of malpractice, including impersonation, collusion, smuggling of foreign materials, question leaks, and even invigilators helping students during exams.
He said money has now become “the crux of the issue,” with those entrusted with examination papers prioritising profit over integrity.
“Who are the people in charge of examinations? Who are the people in charge of the children?” Dr Ashiboe-Mensah questioned.
According to him, “if there is a leak, those who have seen and handled the questions must be held responsible first before blaming students.”
Dr Ashiboe Mensah emphasised that tackling malpractice requires confronting weaknesses within institutions such as WAEC, supervisors, and invigilators who facilitate the cheating culture.
He argued that once these loopholes are closed, students will have no option but to study sincerely.
Dr Ashiboe-Mensah further placed responsibility on teachers, who he believes carry the greatest weight in shaping students.
“Without any scientific basis, I would say 70 per cent of the work in education must be done by the teacher, 10 per cent by the student, 10 per cent by parents, and 10 per cent by government,” he intimated.
Dr Ashiboe-Mensah explained that teachers are role models whose actions strongly influence students.
“Children learn more by what they see than by what they hear. If a teacher answers phone calls in class, what message is he sending? That the lesson is not important,” he stressed.
Dr Ashiboe-Mensah warned that when teachers neglect their responsibility, they often resort to helping students cheat just to protect their own reputation.
He also urged teachers to embody integrity and set the right example in order to restore credibility to Ghana’s education system.
