Insiders say widespread examination
malpractices have been observed in the
examinations in Nigeria and ETS can’t take
it anymore.
Despite the claim by the Educational
Testing Service (ETS) that it suspended the
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and
the Test of English for Foreign Learners
(TOEFL) in Nigeria due to security concerns,
some ETS agents who spoke to PREMIUM
TIMES suggest “large-scale examination
malpractices” and decay of infrastructure at
testing centres may be the real reason
behind the suspension .
In a statement posted on its website last
week Thursday, ETS stated that “Due to
security concerns in Nigeria, GRE® and
TOEFL® testing in the country has been
suspended for an indefinite period.”
Responding to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry for
details of the security concerns, Christine
Betaneli, spokesperson for the Higher
Education Division, said she could not
“elaborate further.”
She suggested it was routine exercise.
“I can tell you that ETS regularly monitors
its operations worldwide to ensure, among
other things, that its test centers are
operating according to our standards and
that students will be able to test in a
secure environment. This may result, from
time to time, in testing operations being
suspended pending further review. Such is
the case in Nigeria,” she wrote in an email.
However, ETS approved agents who spoke
to PREMIUM TIMES said the reason may
actually be the increasing cases of
impersonation and other examination
malpractices and decay of infrastructure in
testing centres across the country.
“The reason they gave was that there were
large-scale examination malpractices,” said
Solomon Ekong, an employee of E-Global
International Education, an ETS approved
testing centre in Lagos.
“As a Nigerian, exam malpractice cannot be
totally ruled out just like the local exams we
have in Nigeria. In our own centre we stand
out. Candidates have been coming to ask
for special assistance and the stuff like
that. We tell them it is not possible.
“We have been warning operators who have
been collecting money for exam runs. In
fact people have been reported to ETS in
the past. Several centres have been closed
down before now based on this particular
issue,” he continued.
Brain Nnadikwe, an administrator of ETS
examination with another ETS-approved
testing centre, First New Generation (FNG),
said ETS had complained about widespread
examination malpractices in the country in
the past.
“They’ve been complaining about
malpractices for a very long time. The only
thing I know is widespread is
impersonation. Impersonation is a very big
issue,” he said.
Although ETS inspects all testing centres
before they are accredited, it does not do
follow-up inspections to check that facilities
at the testing centres are up to date. The
ETS operators told PREMIUM TIMES that
power outage is a major factor affecting the
computer-based examinations.
“Power issue is a general problem in
Nigeria. We have backup in my centre. We
use generator. Infrastructure is a very
serious issue as far as our conduct of the
exam is concerned,” said Mr. Nnadikwe.
“There have been some centres where
they’ve had power outages in-between
exams. This has been going on for a while,”
said Mr. Ekong.
The operators however blame ETS as being
part of the problem. They said ETS pays lip
services to inspection of centres and
invigilation during examinations.
“Yes, we know that there have been
malpractice but ETS should also do a
policing of the exam themselves. Rather
than leave it in the hands of Nigerians they
should have their own employed
representatives for the conduct of the
exams. They are not always present during
the exam. Occasionally they just come to
see what is happening and they leave. They
don’t have their in-house persons to
monitor the conduct of the exams.
Sometimes it takes them time to really
remedy the issues,” said Mr. Nnadikwe.
Mr. Ekong complained that ETS did not
consult its agents in Nigeria before
deciding to suspend the examinations. He
said this is bad for business as well as for
candidates.
“It doesn’t say well of our image as a
nation,” Mr. Ekong said. “We would have
expected them to send delegates to us
before coming out with such decision. We
are talking about a whole nation for Christ
sake. It is very bad for business. Thousands
of candidates have already been registered
for exams only to tell them that exam can
no longer hold and talking about the
refund of money.”
