ENDEMIC MALPRACTICES IN EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA: A DISSECTION OF IMPLICATIONS ON EMERGING HUMAN RESOURCE PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

Quality education is a desideratum for enhanced productivity of workers in productive organizations. It is a prerequisite for effective and efficient utilization of other factors of production by labour. Thus, the association between the quality of an employee’s education and his input into production cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, education in Nigeria at various levels has been characterized by malpractices notwithstanding the provision of Examination Act which creates offences relating to examination malpractices and prescribes penalties for such offences. The malpractices are perpetrated through collaboration of students, parents, examination bodies, security agents and other stakeholders. The study examined the implications of examination malpractices on the productive capacity of human resources employed in productive activities in Nigeria. The methodology of the study is qualitative and descriptive. Primary and secondary instruments of data collection were utilized and the generated data were analyzed via contextual-descriptive approach. The findings showed that examination malpractices, among other things, have weakened the productive and managerial capacities of many workers in Nigeria. This has not only endangered the lives of consumers/clients via substandard products and service delivery, but has also increased the cost of production as a result of damage to production equipment and increased re-training cost. Consequently, the study suggests less emphasis on certificate as a criterion for recruitment of workers; strategic recruitment and selection process; reward system; performance appraisal; diligent prosecution of examination offenders etc as measures to mitigate the adverse effects of examination malpractice on productivity.