THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE HIGH RATE OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SENIOR SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION IN OVIA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this Research was to investigate the role of technology in the high rate of examination malpractice in English Language in Senior Secondary Certificate examination in Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State. To guide the study, five (5) research questions were raised and literatures of other researchers were reviewed. The study adopted the survey research design; the population of the study consists of senior secondary schools drawn from five (5) schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State. A total of 100 students participated in the study. Data was collected through the aid of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was structured according to the research questions and distributed to the respondents; the simple random technique was used to select the schools and the students. The simple percentage and frequency counts method of analysis was used to analyze the data collected. The findings of the study revealed that the scourge of examination malpractice has increasingly become a major source of concern to education authorities in most West African countries, particularly in Nigeria. Recently, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) withheld the results of 180,205 candidates representing 11.33 percent of the total candidates who sat for the 2019 WAEC examination as a result of various reported cases of examination malpractice. Examination malpractice is a threat to quality in education and the society. Considering the potentials of technology in addressing many of educational problem, it is equally imperative to note that we also have to pay attention to how this technology has abated malpractice in our society. Thus, the present study discusses the use of technology to abating examination malpractices in West Africa. The study shows that technology plays negative role when it comes to examination malpractices in West Africa. Some of these technological devices include, mobile phones, smart watches. The study recommended that government and other stakeholders in education should pay more attention to the issues that causes examination malpractice, and also provide the needed facilities to encourage the use of technology positively and not the other way round education particularly in examinations.