Examination Malpractice in Science Subjects and Its Implications for Educational Standards in Kano State

This study examined patterns of examination malpractice in science subjects and their implications for educational standards in Kano State, Nigeria. Examination malpractice undermines the validity of academic credentials, distorts the apparent competence of science graduates, and creates downstream challenges for tertiary institutions and employers who rely on certificate-based selection. A descriptive survey design was used. The sample comprised 300 Science teachers, 100 examination supervisors, and 50 school principals from secondary schools in Kano Municipal, Ungogo, and Dala Local Government Areas. A structured questionnaire and interview schedule were validated by education policy and science education experts with a reliability of 0.81. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were employed. Results identified impersonation, leakage of question papers, and answer copying as the most prevalent forms of malpractice in science subjects. The study found that schools with strict internal assessment regimes and active anti-malpractice committees had significantly lower reported incidents. Low student preparation levels, inadequate supervision staffing, and community tolerance of malpractice were identified as enabling conditions. Recommendations included continuous online assessment to reduce dependence on terminal examinations, random deployment of supervisors, and community stakeholder education on the consequences of examination fraud. Keywords: examination malpractice, Science subjects, educational standards, Kano State, academic integrity.