Examination malpractice has remained a bane of Gambia's educational system.

No wonder the academic certificate being issued to graduates in The Gambia is not seen as valuable by many foreigners. What then is examination malpractice? This is a situation in which candidates for an exam are given unfair advantage before, during or after the exam, for cheap success.  Hence, the sanctity of the exam is broken or violated.  

Examination malpractice is bad  for the nation. In the first place, our graduates cannot stand the test of time.  

The negative trend can be seen in employees being engaged in jobs they are not suitable for since the certificates they claim to possess are not merited. In addition, seriousness is thrown to the wind.  

Students have little time for their studies as they attend parties, engage in drug addiction and other untoward behaviours.

Furthermore, bribery and corrupt practices accompany examination malpractices.  This is so because the cheats offer money to get illicit assistance.

In the examination hall, bribes are offered to invigilators and supervisors so cheats can have a field day in the hall.
Creativity and resourcefulness are hampered or discouraged in a nation where exam malpractices thrive.  The cankerworm named examination malpractice should be stamped out of the country. God help the Gambia to accomplish just this.

by Sulayman Jammeh
St Peter's Senior
Secondary School