Perceived Benefits as Predictors of Academic Integrity and Examination Malpractices in Garissa County Secondary Schools

Abstract

Academic integrity refers to the ethical conduct and fairness in the process of administering and evaluating examinations, it is a commitment to fundamental moral values such as honesty, trust, fairness, decency, respect and responsibility. This research investigated the how perceived benefits becomes a predictor of Academic Integrity and Examination Malpractices in Secondary Schools in Garissa Township Sub- County. The study adopted descriptive survey research design, quantitative and qualitative approaches was used to collect data. The target population focused on Principals, teachers and student leaders from various schools. There were 38 secondary schools with 38 principals and an average of 25 teachers and 200 students in every school totaling to 950 teachers and 7,600 students respectively. Respondents were sampled using stratified random sampling. There was a sample of 11 schools out of 38,11 Principals were selected using census, 55 teachers and 77 students’ representatives were also selected using simple random sampling. Data from teachers and students’ representatives was collected using questionnaires while that from principals was collected using interviews. Descriptive statistics and Pearson r were used to analyze collected data quantitatively while that from interviews was analyzed verbatim. Research findings indicated that perceived benefits were moderately correlated with the level of academic integrity and examination malpractices (r=0.329, p<0.05). The findings of this study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge on academic integrity and examination malpractices and unearth what contributes to cheating in examinations in secondary schools in Garissa Township Sub County, Kenya.