Does ranking schools promote exam malpractices?

As part of efforts by the Ministry of Education to curb examination malpractices, a policy banning the ranking of schools or provinces was introduced a few years ago. That is why no best or worst performing schools were mentioned on Monday when results of last year’s primary and O’ level national examinations were released by Rwanda Examination Board (REB). “It was noticed that exam result rankings created an unhealthy competition as some local leaders and schools engaged in malpractices for the sake of getting good grades,” Emmanuel Muvunyi, the deputy director-general in charge of examinations at REB, told The New Times on Monday. And to prove that ranking and cheating have a connection, Muvunyi provides statistical evidence. He says cases of malpractices in PLE dropped to 88 last year from 1,324 in 2013, while in O’ level, they reduced to 93 down from 203 the previous year. But what do other education stakeholders think? Verdiana Grace Masanja, a professor of mathematics and a lecturer at the University of Rwanda, thinks that although ranking and malpractices are different, there is a close connection between the two that cannot just be ignored. “When you expose the best schools, you are promoting them. Similarly when the best done subjects are mentioned, teachers stand high chances of getting incentives,” Masanja says. She also feels that ranking students could aid the selection process for scholarships. “When you appropriately rank, competitiveness grows and favourable competition is essential,” Masanja adds. The professor, however, argues that even when no rankings are done, malpractices still occur meaning other loopholes need to be tightened as well. Paul Swaga, a tutor at Akilah Institute in Kibagabaga, Kigali also believes ranking top schools promotes unfavourable competition. “This not only drives the top students to fight for top schools but the rest of the schools end up settling for average students,” Swaga explains. He says because parents usually identify the most outstanding schools from the media, they tend to think that other schools don’t teach well since they cannot produce the best. PLE best performer Abdul Karim Mugisha is congratulated by his father Ali Kaleba at their home in Kigali. Mathias Habishungi, a parent of three children, confirms the latter’s fears: “When I find out the best schools, I automatically want my children to study from there with the hope that they might excel as well,” he says. However, Swaga thinks that district rankings could provide knowledge to address the balance between rural and urban schools. Nelson Mwesigye, a lecturer at Kigali Institute of Education, also agrees that rankings may provide unhealthy competition between the education entities. He, however, says there are other ways of tackling examination malpractices besides prohibiting rankings. “The only problem is that schools in the private sector have over time used this as a way to beat their rivals. Focus should be put on how else to tighten measures during the exams,” Mwesigye explains. Jean Marie Vianney Dunia, a teacher at ES Kianza in Rulindo, says if the best done subjects are exposed, some teachers will do anything possible to make headlines in order to raise their status. “Teachers can end up cheating for students to promote their subjects. Without rankings, students will not be eager to engage in malpractices,” Dunia mentions. Learners do not panic if they have been prepared well. (Timothy Kisambira) Where should focus be? Pamela Connell, the deputy Principal Riviera High school is also in agreement with most stakeholders but questions why schools have to compete basing on exams. “Why does it have to be national exams?” she asks. “Rankings of results have been abolished everywhere because of the same reason of not assessing the quality of education but rather focus on the grades.” However Muvunyi insists that if schools or best done subjects are announced, the right picture for education quality would not be depicted. “Since schools are just entities for learners to acquire knowledge and skills, the purpose of national exams is to assess how much they have acquired for a particular level,” Muvunyi explains, adding that exams are not meant to assess schools or administrators but rather an individual student. “It would otherwise be misleading to assume that the best schools or entities are those where the best students have come from,” he argues, saying schools have different numbers of students and facilities. Loopholes A parent, only identified as Violette, says if REB thinks ranking is not necessary, then they should also not reveal names of the best students. “When you reveal names of the best students, I can still find out their schools and take my child there. For instance on Monday when results were released, by evening everyone had known which schools had emerged best because the media immediately did research and got published the details which REB had refused to reveal,” Violette says. Role of teachers, parents Happy Joan, a teacher, believes more efforts should be made to boost students’ confidence. “A student only becomes confident if they have been trained and prepared well by the teacher. This requires both teachers and students to avoid dodging class and completing the syllabus in time to allow enough time for revision,” Happy says. “Once a student is mentally prepared and confident, they will have no interest in cheating.” For Safari Katunda, parents play a major role in shaping their children’s values. He says children should be taught to cherish hard work, honesty and sharing. “A parent should train a child from an early age to hate dishonesty and theft. If you fail to tame these habits at a young age, it is likely your child will not find a problem in buying exams, extorting money from people or embezzling public funds,” Safari advises. What teachers think about it Arthur Mugume Winnie Mukandori Arthur Mugume Schools should prepare students thoroughly well and accept the results they get. This year, the best performing schools were not mentioned allegedly to curb exam malpractices. In my view, that cannot stop cheating. Focus should be shifted to how well learners are trained. Winnie Mukandori The reason that was advanced for not ranking schools is weak. Ranking schools has no connection with exam malpractices. Malpractices are usually a result of poor preparations by schools but those that are serious do not engage in such behaviour. Why then shouldn’t they be celebrated? Sirajj Sabba Emmanuel Ndizeye Sirajj Sabba When someone does something good they need to be appreciated and revealing schools that have excelled is one way of expressing our gratitude for their efforts. I do not think ranking is the cause of cheating during exams. Emmanuel Ndizeye Ranking schools has no connection to malpractices. REB officials says ranking schools creates unhealthy competition among schools which promotes cheating but I disagree. They should put in place tough measures to contain the bad practice. John Bosco Bogere Ashiraf Clement John Bosco Bogere Malpractices can never and will never be a result of ranking schools. The only reason some schools resort to cheating is because they have not prepared their learners well. As a result, they begin panicking as exams draw closer. The government should devise ways of fighting cheating in schools. Ashiraf Clement They should rank schools because it does not promote cheating. Besides parents need to know which schools to take their children and that is only possible when their performance is revealed. I don’t believe ranking schools is a form of advertisement.