By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) is set to decide the fate of 128 students who were allegedly involved in examination malpractice. According to the Head of the Disciplinary Committee at the college, Dr Ezekiel Duramani Lakkoh, investigations will be concluded later this week.
The conclusion of the investigation will come just days towards the start of the second semester exams, which is the final exams of the year for students. Dr Lakkoh said the investigation spans over the last two exams: second semester of the last academic year and the first semester in the current academic year.
“Currently we have more than one hundred students under investigation. The first set of students were 65 from second semester last year. Those have been investigated and we are validating the report,” Lakkoh said.
“63 more are under investigation for the first semester, this year,” he added.
Examination malpractice is a challenge that the education sector has struggled with for years now. In the just concluded West African Examination Council exams, the issue of malpractice took a center stage, leading to arrests of pupils and teachers.
To deal with the problem, this academic year the IPAM administration installed security cameras in classrooms to monitor examinations. Despite this, examination malpractice has not stopped. Lakkoh said they are looking at broadening their investigation to even involve lecturers and the possibility of these malpractices starting before the exam is conducted.
“There are different categories of malpractices and this is not just limited to students but also lecturers. Firstly, it’s taking foreign materials into the hall. Secondly, discussion within the examination hall, and thirdly before the examination, which is pre examination malpractice - evidence of bribery or wanting to compromise the exams,” he explained.
This is not the first time that lecturers are coming under scrutiny in the college. Lakkoh said the administration has had cause to terminate the service of lecturers in the past.
“[The] last committee investigated about three or four lecturers and terminated one. And quite recently we asked one to resign. As I speak, we are going to put two lecturers under investigation, but it is not for examination malpractice, it is for other ethical issues.”
The investigation process includes interviewing students who have been accused whiles confronting them with the evidence of their malpractices. If found guilty, the punishment could range from suspension to rustication from the college.
“We have lots of people that have gone through different punishment. As I speak now there are people who have gone through rustication. Rustication is mostly an option,” Lakkoh said.
The student body on campus could not be reached to know what they are doing about exam malpractice. However, Lakkoh said the committee has student representatives.
“We have a disciplinary committee. A well represented committee of 12 people including student representatives. And we go through a robust investigation procedure with lots of evidences as well. So we want to be very careful that is why we don’t just go and take decisions,” Lakkoh said.
IPAM is one of three constituent colleges under the University of Sierra Leone. Despite the huge number of cases, Lakkoh said he is satisfied with how far the college has come in dealing with examination malpractice, comparatively to others.
“At IPAM we have done well in dealing with exam malpractice to the extent that the students are conscious when they come for exams. We are so thorough when it comes to exams. The degree of caution is imminent everyday among students,” he said.
He added: “I have seen cases in other institutions where malpractice is huge to the extent that almost everybody is part of it. Even serious students are now joining those that are not serious in examination malpractice. Because they see it as incentive to get marks.”
Despite the conclusion of investigations this week, Lakkoh said a decision on the future of students who were involved in malpractice in the first semester of the current academic year might not come soon.
“This investigation will be concluded before the second semester, but the report will not be out. It will be out few weeks after but nonetheless there is always punishment.”
To tackle the problem, the college is already using the security cameras to prevent malpractice during exams.
“We use the CCTV camera as control measure. We watch who wants to talk. We monitor you during exams, if you start movement or what, we have people watching everywhere. We go in and call your attention, if you insist, we just give you a form,” Lakkoh said.
He added: “In cases like these, they continue the exams. We don’t stop them because until you are found guilty by the disciplinary committee. We let you write the exams.”
In their effort, Lakkoh said they are collaborating with the Exams office at the college.
“Exams office does the questions 12 hours before the exams. We have procedures. The procedures are so robust that even if you have the questions there is no guarantee that it will come. We have security features.”
IPAM is the leading college in business and administration courses in Sierra Leone. Every year they produce hundreds of graduates who go on to fill several positions in the business and financial sector in the country. The administration is hoping that rustication of students will be a serious deterrent to examination malpractice in the college.
© 2019 Politico Online
