National exams cheating blamed on democracy

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Malawi exams

The Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) has described multiparty democracy as a great factor contributing to high levels of examination cheating and other malpractices.

Maneb said this in a brief statement on the status of 2015 national examinations for the country which have been described leakage-free.

In the statement, MANEB explained that after democracy had just been introduced in the country the board was registering high cases of examination malpractices due to people’s misinterpretation of freedom.

Malawi exams
Democracy fueling cheating in national exams.

“The dawn of multiparty democracy has been associated with cheating which has escalated to alarming levels. Candidates misinterpreted freedom to mean they were even free to cheat in order to achieve better grades,” says MANEB.

According to MANEB, in 2002, 5,254 candidates were disqualified due to cheating during MSCE examination, representing 8%.

In 2003, a total of 2,345 candidates were also disqualified at the same level, representing 3.97%.

However, the board appreciates other stakeholders for helping to reduce the malpractice to low level through aggressive public awareness on the dangers of cheating.

According to Maneb, in 2014, only 126 candidates were disqualified at MSCE level, representing 0.1% while in 2015, only one case of cheating was reported during the Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examination.

“We would like to thank all stakeholders and the general public for their support during and towards the successful administration of national examinations,” said Maneb.

The board also promised to continue engaging all stakeholders and the general public as it strives to improve on the gains achieved so far.

Maneb was established by an Act of Parliament in 1987 to administer national examinations with its mission to conduct valid and reliable examinations for certification, selection and placement purposes; and provide professional advice relating to assessment and examinations.

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22 Comments

  1. I cn nt buy dat point, u knw dat ur sons & dotas r in UK 4 edu,wat u want kut akumudzife tisaphunzire tingadzalamulire ana anu anthu opusa inu.mumve kut zimatinyasa maka ine mapoints kundipatsa ngat ndimadya kwanu agalu inu.

  2. That is Malawi i know! Democracy has nothing to do with exam leakage! Poverty,selfishness and greedy are among other factors contributing to the said malpractices. Leakage were starting right there at maneb and then had to spread to these poor policemen who receive peanut salaries. Out of selfishness and greedy, they were selling the papers! Democracy alone had nothing to do with exam leakage. She can be a good example where she had to take papers to her school so that the school can give good results thereby attracting more learners hence more profits. Then should we say the influence is democrancy or selfishness and greedy? So why is this improvement now? Should we say we are now not in a democratic government? I don’t know!!!!!!!!

  3. Not democracy but political parties. Students observe them rigging during elections so they follow suit during exams.

  4. Is it democracy or freedom?.if that is a case,let us send it back to britain and we must blame the one that brought about democracy in malawi.

  5. NOT CORRECT, DEMOCRACY IS THE BEST GOVERNMENT. If MANEB suggest that poverty is the cause of cheating I will agree .Democracy and poverty are worst enemies, we will not have democracy in Malawi unless the issue of poverty is addressed. What we have is not democracy.

  6. data entry clerk wa maneb receives 25 thousand as his/her salary,, aphunzitsi ochonga mayeso kuwapasa 18 thousand as allowance after 3 weeks,, then u expect kuti mayeso angamachongedwe bwino??

  7. In an essay form can you describe 5 points that clearly show that democracy has greatly contributed to exams cheating.Let them cheat on this question if at all its true:

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