An assessment on the causes of examination malpractices among students at Makerere University: a case study of School of Statistics and Planning

Abstract

Examination malpractice which is known as cheating is the illegal activities that students involve in to acquire better grades in their examinations. The main aim of the study was to assess the causes of examination malpractices among students at Makerere University. The research was a cross-sectional study based on quantitative data collected using structured questionnaire. The survey was carried out in Makerere university school of statistics and planning. The sample of 200 students from all years of study was used. Univariate analysis to provide a descriptive summary, bivariate analysis using Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis using binary logistic regression and odd ratios were reported in STATA 14.2 were done. The study found out that, out of the 200 respondents, 44% had ever participated in examination malpractice with the average age of respondents at SSP being 22.20 years, minimum and maximum ages were 18 and 25 years respectively. Less than half of the respondents (39%) were male students. 56% which is the majority of the students were in Year 2 and the minority 17% were in Year 3. For study habits, 83% engage in group discussions. 43% of the students faced anxiety. The average academic performance of the students was 3.74 GPA. On the hand,32% of the students were assigned seats on the bases of random sitting arrangement, 26% on the bases of gender separation sitting arrangement and 43% on the bases of inter-class integration approach. More than half of the students (60%) agreed that there is strict supervision during examinations. Male students (P-value=0.027) and students under a strict nature of supervision P-value= 0.000) had a negative statistically significant relationship with examination malpractice, Year 3 students (P-value = 0.037) and students assigned seats basing on gender separation sitting arrangement (P-value= 0.035) had a positive statistically significant relationship with examination malpractice The study recommended that it would efficient to engage these students in counselling services and make known to them the dangers and consequences of cheating during examinations, these students should be given more time to prepare prior to examinations, course units should be reduced as the students upgrade to the next level to reduce the tension and pressure caused by need to pass all those many course units in the final year, invigilators should employ random sitting arrangement, those authorities responsible for examination should ensure or employ a strict supervision during supervision. More manpower and gadgets such as cameras should be installed in examinations halls to monitor how students conduct themselves during examinations.