An Explanation of National Exam Cheating in Cöte D’ivoire: A Case Study of the Baccalaureate Exam

This research aimed at understanding why candidates and proctors cheat during national examinations. To attain our target, we interviewed all the 35 cheaters and the 12 available proctors. Our results revealed that the examinees who have failed twice already are more likely to cheat than the others, for the fear to fail again (54.2% of all cheaters). As for 94.1% of them, they cheat because the baccalaureate symbolises social success for them, whereas others cheat in order to put all the chances on their side (78,9). Finally, some of them cheat with the hope to succeed and avoid the reprisals following failure (21.1%). All these results that are interrelated.

Concerning the proctors, they turn from their normal duty to watch over candidates in order to prevent them from cheating, to suddenly become candidates’ protectors against official exam supervisors for money. Indeed, most public secondary school teachers refuse to partake in the free exam proctoring. Consequently, most of those who eagerly accept to work for free are mostly secretaries, bookkeepers, primary school teachers, clerks, etc. mostly private school staff with terrible financial conditions. Being unable to partake in the grading of exam copies that would be their reward, the private staff accept candidates’ financial offers and close their eyes on the examinees’ cheating. Such a behaviour serves none of the actors. Therefore, the government who has all power shall bring back public-school teachers or invest in automated proctoring using artificial intelligence.