ESUT’s Committee on Exams Malpractice Sensitizes Staff, Students Ahead of First Semester Examinations
By Amaechi Agbo
Ahead of commencement of the 2024/2025 first semester examinations on 3rd March in ESUT, the Committee on Exams Malpractice has begun sensitization campaign of students and staff on the dangers of examinations malpractice.
The sensitization campaign which commenced on Monday, 6th February, will last till Thursday, 27th February across all the faculties including the College of Medicine .
The Committee began the campaign at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences on Monday before visiting Faculties of Education and Environmental Sciences on Tuesday, February 11th.
Led by its chairman, Professor Francis Okechukwu Chikeleze, the committee advised students on the need to avoid every form of examination malpractice and urged lecturers/invigilators on the need to report any students found contravening the rules guiding the conduct of examinations in ESUT.
Prof Chikeleze warned that lecturers who abate exam malpractice in any form, if found, would be prosecuted while students caught in the act will either be suspended or expelled depending on the severity of the offence committed.
The Chairman warned students to consider the implications of their actions if caught emphasizing that the committee would not spare anyone who runs foul of the extant regulations governing the conduct of examinations in ESUT
“Our visitation to faculties is to interact with the students and staff because you are the ones involved in the conduct of examinations. It is important for us to conduct this sensitization campaign because we don’t want anybody to run foul of the regulations guiding examinations here.
“Students are the ones usually found culpable and it is important that you are forewarned, especially the fresh students who will be taking our examinations for the first time. There are instances that would jeopardise your writing examinations here and at the end, lead to the termination of your studentship in ESUT.
“These instances are; entering examination hall with a phone. it does not matter whether the phone is on or off, you used it or not, it is an offence to enter examination hall with a phone, smart wristwatch or wearing earphones. Avoid them.
“Do not enter examination hall with any material relating to the course you are supposed to write, don’t write anything on your palms, thighs or desk. Impersonation is a taboo in ESUT. Avoid any act that could warrant your suspension or expulsion during your examinations.
“Most importantly, the rules guiding examinations are spelt out in the back-cover and front-back pages of your answer scripts. Therefore, you are mandated to go through them before you start your examinations,” he said.
Addressing the staff after the students were dispersed in the two faculties, the Chairman urged them to discharge their duties with integrity and professionalism. He warned them against abating examination malpractice, adding that “as invigilators, your duty is to provide a conducive atmosphere for these children to write the exams. We have reports that some invigilators make the exam halls tense for the students, this is not ideal. Please when you are invigilating, minimize, if not, avoid using your phones, they distract you from your duties. When you catch a student violating the ethics of examinations, please report him/her appropriately.
“We have channels of communication which starts from the invigilator, through the HOD and through the Dean of the faculties then to the Committee. Any report received by this committee, be rest assured that it would be dispassionately and speedily adjudicated.”
Staff and students who participated in the sensitization commended the Committee on Exams Malpractice saying that such move will help to eliminate if not eradicate examination irregularities.
