

































 

Predictive influence of Students’ Age, Sex and Test 
Anxiety on Examination Malpractices among Secondary 

School Students in Ekiti State, Nigeria 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

OLUSOLA James Seyi 
Department of Business Administration, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria 

 E-Mail: Iwamimoseyi@gmail.com 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Abstract 
This research investigates the predictive influence of Students’ Age, Sex and Test Anxiety on 
Examination Malpractices among Secondary School Students in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, 
Nigeria. The research design used for this study was survey design of the descriptive type of 
research. The sample size of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents was selected as 
respondents for the study using random sampling technique. The respondents were drawn 
from five (5) secondary schools within secondary schools in Ado-Ekiti Local Government 
Area of Ekiti State Nigeria. Three research questions were raised and tested at 0.05 level of 
significance. The instrument for the study was self-designed questionnaire. The instrument 
was subjected to validity and reliability mechanism. The data collected were analysed using 
Chi-Square (X2) statistical analysis package. The results of the analyses showed that age did 
not predict students’ involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools. Sex 
of secondary school students did not determine their involvement in examination 
malpractices. Test anxiety serves as predictor of students’ involvement in examination 
malpractices among secondary schools. The age of secondary school students was significant 
in predicting students test anxiety in secondary school students. The rate of examination 
malpractice was more among the male students than female secondary school students. 
Based on the findings, conclusions and appropriate recommendations were made.  
Keywords: Age, sex, test anxiety, examination malpractices, secondary schools 
 
 
Introduction 

Examination is a major instrument used for the evaluation of learners’ achievement. 
Alutu & Aluedu (2006), defined examination as a formal test of somebody’s knowledge or 
ability in a particular subject, especially by means of answering questions or practical 

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exercise in other to measure how much knowledge a student in an institution of learning has 
acquired after exposing such a student to a definite course of instruction. Examination on a 
broad perspective is an instrument for testing, assessing, evaluating and accreditation, of 
which the outcome of such judgment is used for diagnosing, placement, guidance, 
certification among others. Examination can be internal or external. Examinations could be 
oral, written or both.  

Oredein (2008) asserted that public examinations, also known as external 
examinations are conducted on behalf of the state and open to all those who meet defined 
entry criteria within the society. They are administered by external bodies (evaluation 
agencies) and include examinations used to select those wishing to enter government service, 
state schools, and other educational institutions. Such examination bodies include West 
African Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO), Joint Admissions and 
Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) 
and so on. The rationale for adopting public examinations is in the realization of the fact that 
public examinations provide adequate basis for qualifying students’ abilities, and also the 
exertion of control over the attainment of the curricula across schools. However, public 
examinations are different from school examination , which are more or less internal or 
school- based , in which case the teachers are directly involved in the assessment of their 
students. Examples of schools examinations include continuous assessment, terminal and 
promotion examinations e.t.c.  

Public examination therefore seems to be the most popular parameter by which 
society judges the product of its educational system. This is because performances in public 
examinations are now used as a prerequisite for admission into other levels of schooling, job 
placement, awards of certificate and diploma. According to Joshua (2008), one can therefore 
use examination to categorize students into high and low abilities. Those with high abilities 
are giving preference above those with low abilities, which of course the low abilities would 
also desire. As such, in a bid to demonstrate high abilities, they go into all kinds of vices, and 
one of such vices is examination malpractice.  

The Examination Malpractice Act (1999) defined examination malpractice as any act 
of omission or commission by a person who in anticipation of, before, during or after any 
examination fraudulently secure any unfair advantage for himself or any other person in such 
a manner that contravenes the rules and regulations to the extent of undermining the validity, 
reliability, authenticity of the examination and ultimately the integrity of the certificate 
issued. Alutu & Aluedu (2006) stated that examination malpractice is any irregular behavior 
exhibited by a candidate or anybody charged with the conduct of examination before, during, 
or after the examination that contravenes the rules and regulations governing the conduct of 
such examination.  

There are many factors that served a determinant that cause examination malpractices 
among secondary schools students. Oredein (2008) asserted that the variables of age, sex and 
test anxiety of students largely influence their behaviour especially during examinations. And 
that these variables correlate to certain degree and cannot be separated from examination 
malpractices. To a considerable extent age of the learner determines the variation in the speed 
at which he learns and at the rate at which he engages in examination malpractices. Sex of the 
learner is also a factor that need to be considered when examine examination malpractices. 
Oredein (2008) reported that girls find it easy to inscribe information on any part of their 
body like thighs, baby pampers, purses and palms than their male counterpart. Apart from 
this, test anxiety among students is another variable that lead to examination malpractices. 
Many students failed to read when others are reading, some were busy playing games or 
watching TV when they suppose to read and this leads to fear of failure when they are about 
to write examination.  

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According to Ibrahim (2004) academic success usually depends upon students’ ability 
to adapt to academic situation. And students who feel competent will not be much threatened 
by stressful academic demands but to one’s surprise, students are generally anxious over 
examination, which invariably leads some of them to engage in examination malpractice. One 
of the objectives of education in Nigeria is to prepare the youth to become self sufficient in 
order to meet the nation’s manpower requirements. Schools need to conduct examinations 
purposely to assess the cognitive ability of the student. It follows then that examination is 
very paramount in the placement of students. Olisama (2003) opined that when a student 
receives or acquires foreign aid in an attempt to pass examination, it is called examination 
malpractice. Examination malpractice is any wrong doing before, during or after any 
examination. Examination malpractice is an illegal means that students use to pass 
examinations.  
 The various dimensions of examination malpractice includes bringing of foreign 
materials into the examination hall, colliding with supervisors to cheat, receiving help from 
other candidates, impersonation, insult or assault on examination officials, electronically 
assisted malpractices, mass cheating, and changing of scores by examiners for candidates.  

Sex, according to Cambridge Dictionary is the state of being a male or female. 
Different views exist as to which sex involves most in examination malpractices. Omotore 
(2011) stated that more males engage in examination malpractices than the females. The 
absence of significant difference between the anxiety levels of male and female most 
especially prior to examination could be attributed to many factors. Both students must have 
familiarized themselves with the academic environment and the females, thinking that they 
can always find themselves through by any means, write on parts of their body with the aim 
of engaging in examination malpractice. Boys have been found to partake in examination 
malpractice especially when they have fear of failing in difficult subjects.   Based on this 
finding, sex as a variable will receive serious attention as predictor of examination 
malpractice.  

Age, in education, is a level of development equivalent to that of an average person of 
a particular age. The variable of age in combination with biological, cognitive, affective and 
psychological dimensions upon students’ examination malpractice seems to be one of the 
main factors determining students’ participation in examination malpractice.  
           Test anxiety is another major factor that leads students to engage in examination 
malpractices. Olusade (2003) defines anxiety as the chronic fear that occurs when a 
threatened event is in the offing but is unpredictable. It is the exams designed to objectively 
measure the academic aptitude of students from varying social backgrounds and with 
different educational experience. Test anxiety therefore to the fear a student exhibits before, 
during or after writing a test. According to Ibrahim (2004) several factors account for test 
anxiety among secondary school students leading some of them into examination 
malpractices. 
 Examination is very important in evaluating students learning outcome and their 
cognitive ability. Examination over the years has become the major yardstick in determining 
the academic achievement level of students in secondary schools and other level of education 
in Nigeria. But the status of examination has been mauled by the high rate level of 
examination malpractices among the students of secondary schools all across Nigeria. Many 
scholars have put up many variables and factors as being responsible for the menace in the 
academic development of Nigeria. 
 The age, sex of the students and test anxiety have their telling effect on the anti-social 
behaviours of examination malpractices in our secondary schools. And this can be attributed 
to the admission of students into secondary school against the age of 10 as stipulated by the 
Ministry of Education. Today students at the age of 8 or 9 years have been given admission 

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into secondary schools and many of them are not mature enough to withstand the nature and 
standard of examination in secondary schools. More also, it is observed by the researcher that 
sex of students is a very significant variable that determines the rampaging rate of 
examination malpractices among secondary schools students. The researcher observed that as 
much as research has been conducted on examination malpractice, there is scanty information 
on how age and sex predict examination malpractices.  

Base on this view, the researcher is of the opinion that age of the students is one of the 
fundamental challenges militating against students’ performance in secondary school 
examination in Ado local government area of Ekiti State. Furthermore, the sex of learner’s is 
observed to be the basic problems militating against teaching and learning in most of the 
secondary schools especially in Ado local government area of Ekiti State. Sex of the students 
are perceive as a strong students variable that can maximize or minimize the students 
performance in any school subject. Thus, the researcher perceived sex of students as a factor 
that predicts examination malpractices among students. Test anxiety among students of 
secondary schools can be attributed to the poor level of preparedness of students for 
examination, truancy in school, missing of class and perception of the students that 
examination malpractices is not an offense that can be punished. Although, there exist a lot of 
research on test anxiety but variable in combination with age and sex are yet to be fully 
researched. It is against this background that the researcher was stimulated to investigate the 
age, sex and test anxiety as predictors of examination malpractices among secondary schools 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State. 
 
Research Questions 
The research will answer the question: 

1. Does age predict involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State? 

2. Does sex predict involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State? 

3. Does test anxiety predict involvement in examination malpractices among secondary 
schools in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State? 

 
Literature Review 
 
Concept of examination malpractices 

Ahmed (2010), examination malpractice is any act of wrongdoing or neglect that 
contravenes the rules and regulations of acceptable practice before, during and after an 
examination by any reason. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear people discuss 
examination malpractice as if it is a custom. Perpetrators of this social menace view it as an 
act which everybody partakes in, hence it is generally acceptable. Therefore, it is not 
impossible these days to see students with distinction in the west African Examination 
Certificate (WAEC) Senior School certificate Examination (SSCE), General certificate in 
Education (GCE) or the equivalent or even first class and second class upper in the 
universities who cannot defend the certificate. The reason behind it is nothing but 
examination malpractice which has sucked deep into virtually all levels of the education 
system. These acts are unbecoming and need to be curtailed. It is a disease; it calls for the 
attention of all and sundry.  
 Nwahunanye (2004) posited that some years back, the decision to attend secondary 
school was in itself a crucial vocational choice. Secondary school education has as one of its 
objectives; to provide education of higher level, irrespective of sex, social status, religious or 
ethnic background. National Policy on Education (2004) section 5 sub – section 22 (a) 

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lamented „the extent to which these objectives are being achieved in teaching and learning in 
secondary schools as in every other level of education is usually appraised or evaluated 
through examination‟. It is also impossible for one to obtain an academic certificate after 
passing through an institution without being evaluated. The reverse is also the case due to the 
way some of our undergraduates see the pursuit of good academic certificate as a do or die 
affair.  
 During examination periods, students prepare for the examination in different ways. 
Some read a month before the examination. Some still prefer using the night before the 
examination to write down points which they would take into the examination hall. These are 
mostly the category of students who do not see any reason to prepare for the exercise but rely 
on “expo” to succeed. In the examination halls, the perpetrators of this unwholesome act 
operate in divergent ways as they want to make good grades and reap where they did not sow.  
Examination misconduct in the hall can take the form of giraffing / peeping from another 
person’s examination papers, writing on the palms, desks and piece of papers, smuggling of 
examination halls and so on and so forth. Outside the halls, the misconduct can take the shape 
of sorting of the already written examinations either through the teachers or their agents. This 
cankerworm has eaten deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian educational system; thereby, 
rending our educational institutions hopeless. They are so unbecoming that if nothing is done 
and no time too, our secondary school education and other levels of education will be mess.  
 Commenting on the issue of examination misconduct, Sumnoh (2010), remarks that 
government is the major cause of examination malpractice. He said that if teachers were well 
paid, they would see no reason to aid or be involved in examination malpractice. One is not 
saying here that high salary and allowances will totally stop examination malpractice, it will 
help to curb it. However, it is pointless dragging the argument as to who is responsible for the 
cases of examination malpractice in our secondary schools. It is equally illogical to think that 
one particular group, whether students, teachers, government or the society can solve the 
problem of examination misconduct in our secondary schools. 
 
Age of students and examination malpractices among secondary schools  

The age concept has recently emerged in various fields among others, gerontological, 
psychological, futurological, demographic, legal, political and cultural contexts as an interest 
of research. Diversity studies have included age among race, gender, creed, ethnicity, 
background, education, function, and personality differences (Williams & O’Reilly, 1998). 
At the same time, while a vast amount of organizational studies have covered almost every 
angle of the leadership theme (Åhman, 2003), the concept of age has largely been ignored. 
The almost untouched area of the conceptualisation of age, and as a consequence of it, the 
discursive perception of a leader as well as his/her capabilities needs to be explored and 
unmasked further. The poor and declining academic performance of students in Nigerian 
schools owing to examination malpractice is becoming so alarming that the achievement of 
the set goals of teaching in secondary school for sustainability and development is 
endangered. Okafor (1999) maintained that there is a recurring story of poor academic 
performance in secondary schools subject.   

Examination malpractice is one of the common social ills threatening the educational 
sector at all levels and the fact that it is found among the students in secondary school is even 
more worrisome. Denga & Denga (1998) affirmed that examination malpractice is thriving in 
all level of schools. Examination plays several important roles in the teaching-learning 
process. It is a necessary incentive to study, a means of getting feedback and a yard-stick for 
evaluating the effectiveness of instructional delivery, selection, placement, and for 
employment. The concept of age has become the main yardstick that is being used to give 
admission to students into secondary schools and higher institutions of learning, for giving 

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job and even in the political settings in Nigeria. At the high school level, Scales (2005) 
measured student level of developmental assets‘, (positive relationships, opportunities, skills, 
values and self-perceptions) and its relationship to academic achievement. In this study, 
seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students with more increased developmental asset had higher 
GPAs in tenth through twelfth grade than those with less assets.  

Nowadays, examination is widely used as a medium for promotion in many 
parastatals. But when the proper use of examination is abused by both the examinees, the 
examiners and the entire populace, a question may then arise as to what is the relationship 
between examination malpractice and students’ academic performance in secondary schools. 
Age, in education, is a level of development equivalent to that of an average person of a 
particular age.  As already noted, the variable of age in combination with biological, 
cognitive, affective and psychological dimensions upon students’ examination malpractice 
seems to be one of the main factors determining students’ participation in examination 
malpractice. Amamize (2003) observed that maturation of the learner and exposure to 
different situations is a determining factor whether the student will involve himself or herself 
in examination malpractice. However, it still remains open to question whether a particular 
age group is more prone to examination malpractice. In some respect, all age group engage in 
examination malpractice and this is where the research will focus attention. Age is a human 
attribute that has long been taken for granted. 

Examination malpractice is therefore induced by grading pressure at least as much as 
that of individual character failure (Newberger, 2000). Berliner (2008) affirmed that the 
pressure to score well on a single test is so intense that it leads to nefarious practices such as 
cheating on the test. Parents also play a very important role in students’ behaviour and 
academic performance in the school. Most often, some students fail in their duty to provide 
necessary materials that will enable their children to learn and when the children are not 
performing up to expectations, the parents turn around to pressurize the students, blame the 
teachers or resort to fraudulent means to help the children pass examination.  

Considering the problem of examination malpractices, the rate at which students faint 
or fall sick during examination, and many other anxiety related problems in schools, it 
becomes necessary to find out the age and sex of the students and look at their anxiety levels 
(Omotore, 2011). 
 
Sex as predictor of examination malpractices among secondary schools  

Sex, according to Cambridge Dictionary is the state of being a male or female. 
Different views exist as to which sex involves most in examination malpractices. Lobel & 
Levanon (1988) argue that more males engage in examination malpractices than the females 
while Leming (1980) believes that there are more female involvement in examination 
malpractice than male. 

The absence of significant difference between the anxiety levels of males and female 
most especially prior to examination could be attributed to many factors. Both students must 
have familiarized themselves with the academic environment and the females, thinking that 
they can always find themselves through by any means, write on parts of their body with the 
aim of engaging in examination malpractice. Boys have been found to partake in examination 
malpractice especially when they have fear of failing in difficult subjects. Based on this 
finding, sex as a variable will receive serious attention as predictor of examination 
malpractices. Nigeria, like many other nations of the world, has a strong faith in education as 
the key to economic progress, political stability, social transformation, as well as scientific 
and technological development (Olayinka & Akande, 2006). Education, according to 
Emaikwu (2012), is expected to train the mind of its recipients for effective performances. It 
equips the individual with the information necessary for high level of human functioning. The 

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school is seen as the most formal agency for cultivating necessary skills, knowledge and 
values as enunciated by the Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) in the NPE. The school 
achieves this through constant evaluation and assessment carried out during examinations.  
 Examination malpractice is so wide spread that no sex or religion seems to be 
exempted. There are studies according to Omotere (2011) that attached sex of the learner as a 
factor for examination malpractices. The male and female students as well as the Christian 
and Muslim students fraught it. Omotere (2011) noted that different views exist as to which 
sex involves more in examination malpractice. Ordinarily one expects that since examination 
malpractice is evil, Christian and Muslim students are not supposed to be involved, aid or 
abet it but they do with impunity. Many Christian and Muslim students have previously been 
found guilty of examination malpractices in many schools and colleges in Nigeria including 
this very institution under study, why? May be, these students have insufficient knowledge of 
the rules and regulations guiding examinations, nature of examination offences and also the 
penalties. This is why this study sought information on the “Knowledge of students about 
these rules, the behaviors that are considered wrong in examination and the penalties for 
these offences using gender and religion as variables. 
 
The effects of Test Anxiety on Examination Malpractices among secondary schools  

Low performance of students in exams especially external exam is no longer news in 
Nigeria. Over the years, stakeholders in this field having been working tirelessly to remedy 
the ugly phenomena unfortunately, their effort is yet to yield any significant impact. On the 
part of the students, lack of interest, love for money or what is known as get rich quick 
syndrome were identified. Unfortunately, none of them was able to see exam anxiety. At 
times, students will read very well yet he or she will perform poorly in exam simply because 
of tension. Exam itself causes anxiety to some students (Nelson, 2001). Studies have shown 
that exam anxiety makes a student to forget all that he or she studied (Nelson 2002). Clear 
understanding of features of anxiety is enough proof to its effect on remembering. Anxiety 
causes muscle tension which makes the brain to be unrelaxed thereby causing forgetfulness.   
 Anxiety is complex and mysterious. The more you learn about it, the more baffling it 
seems. It is a negative mood state that is characterized by bodily symptoms of physical 
tension and apprehension about the future (Durand & Barlow 2002). It can also be seen as a 
subjective sense of unease, a set of behaviours (such as looking worried, anxious or fidgeting) 
or a physiological response originating in the brain and reflecting on elevated heart rate and 
muscle tension.  
 During anxiety reactions or response, the heart, lungs, and other parts of the body 
work faster. The brain also releases the emergence (stress) hormone adrenaline and cortisol 
(Obidigbo, 2008). People who experience this disorder usually report being unhappy and 
their behaviour is maladaptive. In school, some students experience some kind of anxiety 
disorder within their stay in school, (Nelson, 2002) and the most common is examination 
anxiety. Examination anxiety may manifest among students through admission of wrong or 
series of unwarranted fear, rapid breathing, through meticulous cautions (Nelson, 2002). 
 A close watch on some students, one may see them dropping things like books, rulers 
and bags on the ground, which some will hit their legs on tables, chairs etc. All these are 
believed to be manifestations of examination anxiety (Wind, 2000). This has also Lead to the 
reduction in our standard of education, for instance, some of the secondary school students, 
who are too anxious about examination will fail an exam and to avoid this frustration, which 
will affect the student image or  regulation, they will resort to examination malpractice 
(Cheating) in order to scale through. Not because they are unintelligent, or that they did not 
prepare well for the exam, but because they are afraid to fail the exam. The manifestation of 
examination anxiety differs, depending on the individual, students and the subjects, some 

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students may enjoy calculations and dislike or avoid any subject that involves a lot of 
grammar or writing, while others may enjoy subjects with a lot of grammar and writing, and 
hate calculations. 
 
 
Methodology 

The survey design of the descriptive type of research was used for this study. The area 
of the study was Ado local government area of Ekiti State.  

The population of the study consisted of all public secondary school students in Ado 
Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State. There are ten public secondary schools in Ado 
Local Government Area of Ekiti State.  

The sample size of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents was used for the study. 
The respondents were the students from public senior secondary schools class II and III (SSS 
2 and SSS 3) in Ado local government area of Ekiti State. There are ten (10) public secondary 
schools in Ado local government area of Ekiti state. A simple random sampling technique 
was used to select five (5) secondary schools in the local government. The simple random 
sampling technique was also used to select thirty (30) students from each of the selected 
schools to make a total of 150 respondents.  

The research instrument used for this study was a self-structured questionnaire. The 
questionnaire used for collecting the responses of the respondents was a 25-items instrument 
which was designed to answer the research questions of the study. There are five variables in 
the study and each of the variables generated five items. The questionnaire had two Sections. 
Section A was used to elicit information on the demographic data of the respondents such as 
name of school, age, sex, class. While section B was used to elicit information on the 
research variables. The questionnaire was of Likert format of response: “SA, A, D, SD” 
answer. Where SA = Strongly Agree, A = Agree, D = Disagree, SD = Strongly Disagree.                                                                
   The instrument was subjected to validity and reliability mechanism. The instrument 
used by the researcher was scrutinized for face content and construct validities by specialists 
and experts in measurement and evaluation. The instrument was finally adjudged to be good 
relative to face, content and construct validities.   

The reliability of the instrument was established using split half method. The 
researcher administered the instrument to thirty (30) respondents who did not form part of the 
final respondents that were used for this study. The questionnaire items were divided into odd 
and even numbers. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to analyze the data 
gathered in order to determine the value of (r) at 0.05 level of significance. After, 
computation the reliability coefficient of 0.86 was obtained which shows good reliability. 
 The questionnaires were administered on the students by the researcher with the help 
of two (2) trained research assistants and were collected back immediately.  
 The data collected were analysed using Chi-Square (X2) statistical analysis package. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Results and Discussion 
 
Research Question 1 

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Does age predict involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools students 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State? 
 
Table 1: Chi-Square Analysis of data on the Age of students as prediction of 

involvement in examination malpractice among secondary school students 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State. 

S/N ITEMS X2
-Cal X2

-tab df  Remark 
1 Students who are below recommended years of 

secondary schools involve much in examination 
malpractices. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
5.67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
7.82 

 
 
 
 
 
 
3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
    * 

2 Age influence students involvement in 
examination malpractices. 

3 Students who are beyond the ages of 18years 
are afraid of failure and do not want students 
younger than them to laugh at them, thus they 
take to examination malpractice. 

4 Age of students influence the students 
performance in school subject. 

5 The higher the age of students, the more the 
occurrence of examination malpractices among 
them. 

P< 0.05  ,           *   =   Significant 

 
Table 1 shows that x2-calculated was 5.67 and x2- critical was 7.82 in research question one. 
Showing that x2-calculated is less than x2-table value at 0.05 and  df = 3 ( i.e.. x2

-Cal  <  x2
-tab ). 

The result is not significant; this implies that age was not a predictor of students’ involvement 
in examination malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local Government Area of 
Ekiti State. 
 
Research Question  
Does sex predict involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools students 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 2: Chi-Square Analysis of data on the Sex of students as prediction of 
               involvement in examination malpractice among secondary school students in 
              Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State. 

S/N ITEMS X2
-Cal X2

-tab df  Remark 
1 Male students involve in examination 

malpractices than female students. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

2 Female students are afraid of being caught in 
examination than male students. 

3 Female students thought that they can always 

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find way through examination by any means.  4. 23 7.82 3     * 
4 Male students partake in examination 

malpractice because they have fear of failing in 
difficult subjects than female students. 

5 Male students ill-preparedness is the reason for 
their involvement in examination malpractices. 

P< 0.05  ,           *   =   Significant 

Table 2 shows that x2-calculated was 4.23 and x2- critical was 7.82 in research question two. 
Showing that x2-calculated is less than x2-table value at 0.05 and  df = 3 ( i.e.. x2

-Cal  <  x2
-tab ). 

The result is not significant; this implies that sex of students was not a predictor of students’ 
involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local 
Government Area of Ekiti State. 
 
Research Question 3 
Does test anxiety predict involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools 
in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State? 
 
Table 3: Chi-Square Analysis of data on the students’ Anxiety as prediction of 
               involvement in examination malpractice among secondary school students in 
              Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State. 

S/N ITEMS X2
-Cal X2

-tab df  Remark 
1 Poor preparation by students for examination 

entices them to exam malpractice. 
 
 
 
 
 
12.67 

 
 
 
 
 
7.82 

 
 
 
 
 
3 

 
 
 
 
 
    * 

2 Exam anxiety makes a student to forget all that 
he or she studied. 

3 Examination anxiety may manifest among 
students through admission of series of 
unwarranted fear. 

4 Fear of parents’ punishment stimulates students 
to take to examination malpractice. 

5 Students low self-reliance during test makes 
them take examination malpractice as the only 
option to success. 

P< 0.05  ,           *   =   Significant 

Table 3 shows that x2-calculated was 12.67 and x2- critical was 7.82 in research question 
three. Showing that x2-calculated is greater than x2-table value at 0.05 and  df = 3 ( i.e.. x2

-Cal  
>  x2

-tab ). The result is significant; this implies that test anxiety predicted involvement of 
students in examination malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local Government 
Area of Ekiti State. 
 
Discussion of findings 
 The research Question 1 which stated that ‘does age predict involvement in 
examination malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti 
State’ was answered and the result of finding revealed that age was not a predictor of 
involvement in examination malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local 
Government Area of Ekiti State.  The finding of the study contradicted the finding of 
Amamize (2003) who observed that maturation of the learner and exposure to different 
situations is a determining factor whether the student will involve himself or herself in 
examination malpractice. Age, in education, is a level of development equivalent to that of an 

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average person of a particular age. The variable of age in combination with biological, 
cognitive, affective and psychological dimensions upon students’ examination malpractice 
seems to be one of the main factors determining students’ participation in examination 
malpractice. But the finding from this study showed that age of students affects their level of 
maturity but not as a predictor for involvement in examination malpractices. 

The finding of the study revealed that sex did not predict involvement in examination 
malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Based 
on the result of finding of the study, the finding of the study contradicted the finding of 
Omotere (2011) who attached sex of the learner as a factor for examination malpractices. 
Omotere (2011) noted that different views exist as to which sex involves more in examination 
malpractice. The absence of significant difference between the anxiety levels of males and 
female most especially prior to examination could be attributed to many factors. Lobel & 
Levanon (1988) argued that more males engage in examination malpractices than the females 
while Leming (1980) believes that there are more female involvement in examination 
malpractice than male. Thus, the finding of the study revealed that both male and female 
students equally involved in examination malpractices.  

The result of findings from this study revealed that test anxiety predicted involvement 
in examination malpractices among secondary schools in Ado Local Government Area of 
Ekiti State. The finding of the study agreed with the finding of Nelson (2001) when he 
asserted that examination itself causes anxiety to some students. Anxiety causes muscle 
tension which makes the brain to be unrelaxed thereby causing forgetfulness. During anxiety 
reactions or response, the heart, lungs, and other parts of the body work faster. According to 
Obidigbo (2008), he stated that the brain also releases the emergence (stress) hormone 
adrenaline and cortisol. Anxiety of students occurred as a result of ill preparedness of 
students for examination, playing away of leisure time, truancy from class and many more 
factors.  
 
 
 
Conclusions 
 Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were made: 

1. Age did not predict students’ involvement in examination malpractices among 
secondary schools.  

2. Sex of secondary school students did not determine their involvement in examination 
malpractices. 

3. Test anxiety served as predictor of students’ involvement in examination malpractices 
among secondary schools. 

4. The age of secondary school students was significant in predicting students test 
anxiety in secondary school students. 

5. The rate of examination malpractice was more among the male students than female 
secondary school students. 

 
Recommendations  

The researcher recommended the following as ways to tackle the problem of 
examination malpractice: 

1. Students at all age should be with fear of punishment that may befall them if they 
engage in examination malpractices and this should be used to create fear in their 
heart.  

2. Both male and female secondary school students should be given equal treatment so 
as not to give undue advantage for any sex to involve in examination malpractices. 

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3. Teachers, parents and school authorities should ensure that students are always 
prepared adequately and effectively to write examination through proper and active 
monitoring towards the reading and study of their subject.  

4. (i) Parents should let students attain the recommended age of 10years before they are 
given admission to secondary schools. 
(ii) Teachers and school authorities should always make use of age of the students as 
prerequisite for admission into secondary schools. 

5. School management should put in more and extra effort into curbing of indiscipline 
act among the male secondary school students so as to reduce the high rate of 
examination malpractices. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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http://www.elinewberger.com/

	Keywords: Age, sex, test anxiety, examination malpractices, secondary schools
	Introduction

