Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria

Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun; Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi; Michael Abejide Adegoke; David Bamidele Adewole; Omohwo Ohwobeno

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

Research Article |

| Peer-Reviewed

Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria

Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun^*

, Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi

, Michael Abejide Adegoke

, David Bamidele Adewole

, Omohwo Ohwobeno

Published in International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies (Volume 11, Issue 1)

Received: 1 February 2025 Accepted: 14 February 2025 Published: 13 March 2025

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Abstract

An examination is a means of assessing people’s knowledge, competence, or skills in a particular field. It can be through manual or physical contact or a computer-based approach. Achieving the purpose of high-standard examination can only be fulfilled when adequate measures are put in place and steps are taken to implement them. This study presents findings from the baseline study of security agents’ perspectives on conducting and administering examinations in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey approach that was based on the administration of a questionnaire which was carefully formulated to capture the views and opinions of the respondents on the available indices. The administered questionnaire was structured to curate information from the respondents about their knowledge of the stakeholders’ level of infractions and conformity with regulations. The survey attempted to know the extent of deterrent strategies against infractions and corrupt practices, the welfare packages available to security agents, and the examination bodies’ general performances, among others. Twenty thousand and two hundred (20,200) respondents across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria from different categories of security agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps (NCDC), Police Force, and private security outfits participated in the survey. The statistical-based analysis of data obtained from the survey revealed that the educational system has a competent workforce with a significant number of tertiary-educated individuals, a significant level of compliance of stakeholders to examination regulations, and effective enforcement of rules by security agencies. The analysis also revealed a substantial level of inadequacies with the operating environment and mechanisms for welfare and mobility packages as well as gaps in certain aspects of the examination process which may be connected to inefficient communication, logistical challenges and inadequate resources. The study justified the need for more attention to improving on the deterrent measures against examination misconduct through increased vigilance and addressing some factors that militate against the existing measures for curbing corrupt practices during the examination.

Published in	International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies (Volume 11, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
Page(s)	35-44
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Examination Conducts, Candidates, Security Agents, Measures, Performances

1. Introduction

The importance of a stable and fool-proof examination and assessment process in the educational system cannot be over-emphasized, as it influences various aspects of learning outcomes. Aside from fulfilling the obligation of meeting educational objectives, high-quality examinations and assessments help in providing two-way feedback to both students and instructors. Students tend to identify areas of their strengths and the areas of need for improvement while instructors get feedback for adjustment to meet the needs of respective students. Furthermore, a genuine examination of students helps them to develop critical thinking skills that can be applied to solving problems in real-life settings. Conversely, poor conduct of candidates’ educational assessment has far-reaching effects, both on the candidate and the society at large. The consequences include low productivity, unemployment, increased crime rates, socioeconomic stagnation, and political instability. A society populated with incompetent employees will lack the necessary manpower for productivity

[1, 2]

. Individuals with poor quality of education find it difficult to secure gainful employment, many of whom have resolved to criminal activities like cybercrime, thefts, robbery, and hooliganism. More often than not, an uneducated populace is easily susceptible to manipulation by corrupt politicians.

Nigeria as a country suffers from the menace of misconduct in examination, which has introduced the aforementioned issues to society. Nigeria’s educational system was ranked as one of the poorest in the global community

[3, 4]

. News of examination misconduct is continuously reported in the media, especially on public examinations like the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as well as examinations at higher institutions of learning. Misconduct in examinations has been on the rise in the last three decades in Nigeria. Between 2010 and 2017, records show that at least 5% of the candidates who participated in SSCE violated one form of rule or another. Approximately 11% of examinees misconducted between 2012 and 2014

[2]

. This development prompted the authorities and examination regulatory bodies to respond to this endemic using various measures. The Nigerian government promulgated an examination malpractice act in the 1999 constitution to jail and levy fines on offenders

[5]

. Other sanctions from regulatory bodies include blacklisting examination centres known for malpractices, cancellation or withholding of erring candidates' results as well as barring offenders from writing the examinations over some time

[6]

. A total of 324 schools were banned from conducting public examinations for four years in 2007 due to examination misconduct while an appreciable number of WASSCE and UTME results were withheld across the country in the years 2012 and 2018 respectively

[2]

Examination malpractices are believed to be perpetrated through the collaboration of students, parents, examination bodies, security agents, and other stakeholders. Reports have it that the existing security policies against malpractice are weak while the conduct of invigilation is loose

[7]

. Osayekemwen and Deoluwa

[8]

analysed the correlation between assessment and national security in Nigeria concerning security agencies as well as assessed the changing nature of threats to determine the applicability of current assessment frameworks. A qualitative research approach was used and data collection was based on interviews and field observation. Data analysis was based on Atlas. ti qualitative data analysis software through content and narrative analysis. The result from the analysis demonstrated that assessment and national security are closely related and that contemporary educational assessment infractions are multi-faceted. The research justified the need for improvement in technological support and institutional capacity in the assessment methods. Adams et al.

[9]

carried out a descriptive assessment of insecurity and quality educational assessment in Nigerian tertiary institutions. A questionnaire was used to elicit relevant information which was validated and subjected to a reliability test using test Cronbach alpha method of reliability. The study affirmed that insecurity is a contributing factor to the lack of quality education in Nigeria and recommended improved financing as one of the ways of reversing the trend. Akinwumi and Itobore

[10]

explored the close relationship that security has with education along the lines of the estimation of the attendant prevalence of security and stability in society in the event of an increased instilling of moral values in the hearts of students. The interplay between security and education was examined to channel the point of intersection towards a discourse on threats in schools, aims of security education, challenges with the Nigerian curriculum of security education as they relate to implementation, and the way forward. Aworanti

[11]

examined the impact of security breaches on the quality of examination and assessment in sub-Saharan Africa. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting participants among students, teachers and examination officers who were surveyed using a questionnaire approach for the research data. Descriptive statistics and t-test-based analysis of the research data revealed that desperation for success, inadequate funding of education, inadequate logistic planning and dishonesty on the part of the examination personnel among others largely constitute risk factors to the quality of examination and assessment. It was also revealed that the use of security officers at examination centres makes significant contributions to effective examination and assessment as well as an insignificant difference between the perceptions of the examination officers and those of teachers about the impact of security breaches on the success of examination in sub-Saharan Africa. Gulesh et al.

[12]

examined the interplay between education and security to identify ways of collaboration between schools and security agencies to mitigate the tides of insecurity. Structural functionalist theory was adopted as a framework of analysis which identified political, social and professional factors as the likely undermined synergy for stemming the tides of criminality often perpetrated during educational assessments. Based on these reports, this study chose to identify security agencies as an appropriate group of respondents to the questionnaire on the baseline study of examination in Nigeria.

2. Methodology

The study was based on the theoretical frameworks of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and statistical analysis. SCT explains behaviour as influenced by private and ecological factors, and give-and-take interactions between them. It is often used to define the impact of individual involvements, the actions of others, and conservational factors on individual perception and behaviours

[13]

. SCT provides opportunities for social support through instilling expectations, and self-efficacy, and using experimental learning and other aids to accomplish attitudinal change and positive results

[14]

. The theory is suitable for use in educational, medical, nursing, production and other related assessments

[15]

. Statistics is the art of learning from data and it is concerned with the collection of data, its subsequent description, and its analysis, which leads to conclusions. The choice of statistical theory is based on the fact that the research was driven by statistical methods which involve planning, designing, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of research findings. Furthermore, the research dealt with raw data which conveyed no meaning until they were analyzed using statistical theories. The study focused on insight assessment of security agents in relation to educational assessment in Nigeria. The methodology includes a survey of relevant security agents and a statistical analysis of the surveyed data.

2.1. Security Agents’ Responses to Examination Conduct in Nigeria

A baseline study based on a survey of security agents in Nigeria was carried out to ascertain the level of security, compliance, and integrity of stakeholders to the examination’s ethics. The hypothesis of the study is premised on the fact that Nigerian examination conducts are corrupt, lack sanity, and weak security-wise. This hypothesis serves as the basis of the survey questions presented in (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1XjCF_wVmXFCYy9utTF4wDwPyOW5sjIXT0WctlUktzAE/edit?sharingaction=ownershiptransfer&ts=66fbfb9b) for the research. The questionnaire identified officers from various categories of security agencies (such as the Police Force, NCDC, FRSC, and other private security agencies) with varying backgrounds and educational qualifications to capture their feedback on examination conduct in Nigeria. The assessment indices include the establishment of the level of conformity of candidates, examiners, and parents/guidance to examination regulations as well as the rate of infractions by the same. The survey also seeks to know if adequate provisions are in place to mitigate corrupt practices and the impact, efficiency, robustness, and timeliness of the mitigating strategies. The survey further enquires on other security personnel-related issues such as the provision of welfare and mobility packages, suitability of operating environment, adequacy of examination arrangement, relationships with examination personnel, information management, and competency or professionalism of security personnel on examination matters. The research leveraged online Google Forms for real-time access by the target users. The questionnaire was administered to the officers through email and direct contacts for a period of six months (July to December 2024) and a total of 20,200 responses were curated.

2.2. Results

The research adopted statistical techniques for data analysis. The primary purpose of the techniques was to describe the nature of the surveyed data, explore the relation of the data to the underlying population, create and validate the prototype for summarizing an understanding of the relationship among the data as well as establish predictive analytics for establishing scenarios for making future decisions. The distributions of the responding officers (Respondents) across the six geopolitical regions of Nigeria are presented in Table 1. It is established from the Table that on a regional basis, the highest number of Respondents from the South West geopolitical zone participated in the survey. It is also revealed from Table 1 that each of the North West and South East political zones contributed 1,111 to the total number of Respondents, which is the least zonal contribution.

Table 1. Distributions of Respondents across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Region	Frequency	Percentage (%)
North Central	3,898	19.3
North East	2,404	11.9
North West	1,111	05.5
South East	1,111	05.5
South South	3,111	15.4
South West	8,565	42.4

2.2.1. Distributions of Security Agents’ Respondents

The research identified officers of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Nigeria Civil Defense Corps (NCDC), the Police Force, and some private security agents for participation in the survey. Table 2 presents the frequency of responses from each of these categories. As seen in the report, the highest number of respondents belongs to the FRSC with the least responses from persons classified as “Others”. The highest contribution from the FRSC personnel is attributed to the fact that they are often the most deployed security personnel for the control and management of the unified tertiary matriculation, recruitment, scholarship and other public domain examinations.

Table 2. Distribution of Respondents concerning Agencies.

Security Agency	Frequency	Percentage
FRSC	7,595	37.6
NCDC	4,808	23.8
Police	5,797	28.7
Private Agencies	1,394	06.9
Others	606	03.0

2.2.2. Distribution of Academic Qualifications of the Respondents

Table 3 presents the distribution of the respondents' academic qualifications. The highest number of surveyed officers are holders of secondary school certificates, and the fewest respondents are holders of PhD degrees. The survey has no record of input from primary school holders and persons with no formal education. These distributions buttressed the fact that most of the security personnel or agents in Nigeria possess middle-level academic qualifications.

Table 3. Distribution of Respondents’ Qualifications.

Categories of Security Agency	Frequency	Percentage (%)
No formal education	0	0
Primary School	0	0
Secondary School	5,797	28.7
Advanced Level	2,000	09.9
NCE	3,596	17.8
HND	4,989	24.7
B.Sc./B, Tech.	3,111	15.4
M.Sc./M.Tech.	505	2.5
PhD	202	1

2.2.3. Respondents’ Views on Stakeholder's Level of Conformity with Regulations

The categories of stakeholders identified for assessment in this section include candidates, parents, and examiners. Table 4 shows the analysis of the respondents’ views of the level of conformity of candidates with regulations. It is revealed that the majority of the respondents believe that the level of candidate conformity with examination regulations is ‘high’ with a rating figure of 73.8% as against 0.9% of respondents who think that the conformity of candidates to the regulations is ‘very low’ while no response was recorded for the ‘low’ distribution. As shown in Table 5, 62.4% of the respondents believed that parents’ level of conformity with regulations is ‘high’, while only 0.5% of them opined for ‘very low’ conformity. From Table 6, it is also revealed that 0.5% and 60.4% of the respondents gave ‘very low’ and ‘High’ assessments, respectively of the examiners' level of conformity with regulations. These distributions suggest that there is a high level of conformity with examination guidelines by the candidates, parents and examiners which could be attributed to strong regulation enforcement by the security agents.

Table 4. Distribution of Candidates’ Level of Conformity with Regulations.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	182	0.9
Low	0	0
Average	2,808	13.9
High	14,907	73.8
Very High	2,303	11.4

Table 5. Distribution of Parents’ Level of Conformity with Regulations.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	101	0.5
Low	505	2.5
Average	3,293	16.3
High	12,605	62.4
Very High	3,696	18.3

Table 6. Distribution of Examiners’ Level of Conformity with Regulations.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	101	0.5
Low	606	3
Average	1,798	8.9
High	12,201	60.4
Very High	5,494	27.2

2.2.4. Rate of Infractions/ Corrupt Practices by Stakeholders

This section presents the analyses of the views of the respondents on the rate of infractions or corrupt practices carried out by different categories of stakeholders such as the examination candidates, parents and guidance, security personnel, and examiners. The distributions presented in Table 7 show that the majority of the respondents (50.5%) believe that the rate of infractions among candidates is ‘low’. Only 7.4% of them gave a ‘high’ assessment while no respondent gave a ‘very high’ assessment of infractions among candidates. In the same vein, the highest percentage of respondents (50.5%) thought that the corruption rate among parents and guidance is ‘low’ as shown in Table 8, while only 0.9% of them thought that the corruption rate among parents and guidance is ‘very high’. However, in Table 9 and Table 10, similar patterns of inputs from respondents were recorded for rates of distribution of corrupt practices among security personnel and examiners. No inputs for ‘very high’ distribution while 47% and 40.6% of the respondents thought that the rate of corrupt practices among security personnel during examinations is ‘very low’ and ‘low’ respectively. Table 10 also reveals that 50% of the respondents believed that the rate of corrupt practices among examiners during examinations is ‘very low’ while 38.6% of them opined that corrupt practices among examiners during examinations are ‘low’. These distributions suggest that most examination infractions are engineered by the parents who oftentimes show desperation to influence the outcome of the examination in favour of their children or wards.

Table 7. Distribution of the Rate of Infractions by Candidates.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	3,697	18.3
Low	10,201	50.5
Average	4,808	23.8
High	1,494	7.4
Very High	0	0

Table 8. Distribution of the Rate of Corrupt Practices Among Parents and Guidance.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	6,201	30.7
Low	10,201	50.5
Average	2,909	14.4
High	707	3.5
Very High	182	0.9

Table 9. Distribution of the Rate of Corrupt Practices Among Security Personnel.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	9,494	47.0
Low	8,201	40.6
Average	1,596	7.9
High	909	4.5
Very High	0	0

Table 10. Distribution of the Rate of Corrupt Practices Among Examiners.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	10,100	50
Low	7,797	38.6
Average	1,596	7.9
High	707	3.5
Very High	0	0

2.2.5. Deterrent Strategies Against Corrupt Practices During Examinations

This section presents the analyses of the Respondents’ views on the adequacy, impacts, rates, prevention of attack, efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness of the deterrent strategies against corrupt practices. As shown in Table 11, 47.5%, 47.5%, 51.5%, 54.0%, 51.0% and 40.6% of the respondents gave an ‘average’ assessment of the impact of existing deterrent strategies, rate of cases of deterrent, efficiency of deterrent strategies, effectiveness of deterrent strategies, timeliness of deterrent strategies and vulnerability of deterrent strategies to attack, respectively. 43.1%, 19.3%, 41.6%, 40.0%, 35.6%, and 13.8% of the respondents also gave ‘high’ or ‘very high’ assessment of the impact of existing deterrent strategies, rate of cases of deterrent, efficiency of deterrent strategies, effectiveness of deterrent strategies, timeliness of deterrent strategies and vulnerability of deterrent strategies to attack, respectively. These assessment figures suggest a high acknowledgement of the average contributions of the existing strategies for preventing corrupt practices during examinations. These distributions suggest there is a need for improvement on most of the assessment parameters.

Table 11. Distribution of Deterrent Strategies Against Corrupt Practices.

Parameters/Level	Very Low	Low	Average	High	Very High
Impact of Existing Deterrent Strategies	303 (1.5%)	1,596 (7.9%)	9,595 (47.5%)	7,797 (38.6%)	909 (4.5%)
Rate of Cases of Deterrent	606 (3%)	6,100 (30.2%)	9.595 (47.5%)	3,596 (17.8%)	303 (1.5%)
Efficiency of Deterrent System	121 (0.6%)	1,293 (6.4%)	10,403 (51.5%)	7,494 (37.1%)	909 (4.5%)
Effectiveness of Deterrent Strategies	202 (1%)	1,010 (5%)	10,908 (54%)	6,888 (34.1%)	1,192 (5.9%)
Timeliness of Deterrent Strategies	404 (2%)	2,303 (11.4%)	10,302 (51%)	6,080 (30.1%)	1,111 (5.5%)
Vulnerability of Deterrent Strategies to Attack	1,111 (5.5%)	8,100 (40.1%)	8,201 (40.6%)	2,788 (13.8%)	0 (0%)

As shown in Table 12, the majority of the respondents (47%) opined ‘average’ overall performance of the deterrent strategies while only 2% of them opined on a ‘very low’ overall performance. A careful observation of the statistics shown in Table 12 also revealed that the majority of the respondents believed that the deterrent measures under consideration are merely effective for curbing prevailing examination times infractions.

Table 12. Distribution of Adequacy of Steps Taken Against Corrupt Practices.

Level	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Very Low	404	02.0
Low	1,717	08.5
Average	9,494	47.0
High	7,393	36.6
Very High	1,192	05.9

2.2.6. Comfortability of Security Personnel

Table 13 presents the analyses of the level of comfortability of security personnel in terms of the welfare packages, mobility packages and the suitability of the operating environments while performing their roles during examinations. As seen in Table 13, none of the respondents gave a ‘very high’ assessment of the welfare and mobility packages while just 1% of the respondents gave a ‘very high’ assessment of the operating environment. 66.8%, 66.4% and 28.2% of the respondents gave a ‘very low’ or ‘low’ assessment of the welfare packages, mobility packages and the operating environment, respectively. These figures portend a non-satisfactory trend and a lack of satisfaction for security personnel during examinations, hence the need for improved welfare packages for security personnel while overseeing the conduct of examinations.

Table 13. Distribution of Level of Comfortability of Security Personnel.

Parameters/Level	Very Low	Low	Average	High	Very High
Welfare Packages	3,192 (15.8%)	10,302(51%)	6,504(32.2%)	202(1%)	0(0%)
Mobility Packages	2,707(13.4%)	10,706(53%)	5,595(27.7%)	1,192(5.9%)	0(0%)
Suitability of Operating Environment	1,010(5%)	4,686(23.2%)	9,999(49.5%)	4,303(21.3%)	202(1%)

2.2.7. Performances of Security Personnel

This section analyses the performances of security personnel to the adequacy of pre-examination arrangements, relationships with examination personnel, information dissemination and management, competencies and professionalism. In Table 14, only 1% of the respondents rated the adequacy of pre-examination arrangements as ‘very low’ while the majority of the respondents indicated a neutral level of satisfaction by voting for the ‘average’ distribution. A significant number of respondents rated the relationships between security personnel and examination personnel as "High" (58.9%) while a substantial number of respondents (32.7%) rated the relationships as ‘average’. Only a small fraction of the respondents rated the relationships as ‘low’ (2.5%) or ‘very low’ (0.5%). The majority of the respondents believed that the rate of information dissemination is ‘high’ (51.4%) while an appreciable number of them (41.1%) rated the dissemination of information as ‘average’. Only 5% of the respondents expressed minimal dissatisfaction by giving a ‘very low’ or ‘low’ rating.

Respondents’ inputs are predominantly positive on their perception of information management by security personnel with 51.5% of them giving a ‘high’ assessment. A small percentage (4.5%) of the respondents rated information management as ‘low’ while none of them gave a ‘very low’ assessment, indicating that dissatisfaction is minimal. 43.5% of the respondents had also rated the experience level of security personnel as ‘high’ indicating the perception of experience of security personnel as sufficient for examination matters. Although a significant portion of respondents (45.1%) rated the experience level as ‘average’ implying a mild degree of acceptability. Only a small percentage of the respondents (5.9%) rated the experience level as ‘low’. Notably, there were no ‘very low’ ratings, indicating that no respondents felt the experience level was severely lacking. Significant responses were generated for the competency of security personnel where 60.9% of the respondents rated as ‘high’,19.8% of them rated as ‘very high’, 15.8% of them rated as ‘average’, 3% of them rated as ‘low’ and 0.5% of them rated as ‘very low’. A large majority of respondents (75.8%) had also rated the professionalism of security personnel as ‘high’ or ‘very high’. A moderate proportion of the respondents (19.7%) rated professionalism as ‘average’ while a few of them (4.5%) subscribed to a ‘low’ rating of professionalism. No respondents gave a ’very low’ rating. These ratings suggest a high degree of positive perception of professional display among the security personnel.

Table 14. Distribution of Performances of Security Personnel.

Parameters/Level	Very Low	Low	Average	High	Very High
Adequacy of Pre-examination Arrangements	202 (1%)	2,303 (11.4%)	10,706 (53%)	6,686 (33.1%)	303 (1.5%)
Relationships of Security Personnel with Examination Personnel	101 (0.5%)	505 (2.5%)	6,605 (32.7%)	11,898 (58.9%)	1.091 (5.4%)
Information Dissemination by Security Personnel	202 (1%)	808 (4%)	8,302 (41.1%)	10,383 (51.4%)	505 (2.5%)
Information Management by Security Personnel	0 (0%)	909 (4.5%)	8,383 (41.5%)	10,403 (51.5%)	505 (2.5%)
Experiences of Security Personnel on Examination Matter	0 (0%)	1,192 (5.9%)	9,110 (45.1%)	8,787 (43.5%)	1,111 (5.5%)
Competency of Security Personnel	101 (0.5%)	606 (3%)	3,192 (15.8%)	12.302 (60.9%)	3,999 (19.8%)
Professionalism Among Security Personnel	0 (0%)	909 (4.5%)	3,979 (19.7%)	10,908 (54%)	4,404 (21.8%)

3. Discussion

A total of 20,200 respondents’ opinions on the feelings and opinions of security agents involved with the conduct of examinations in Nigeria were presented. Analyses of the responses established that a higher percentage of security personnel meet at least the minimum educational requirement, ranging from secondary school to PhD degree. This percentage indicates a sufficient level of education and enlightenment of the respondents. The report has also suggested predominant number of the security personnel are experienced, competent and professional in handling examination matters. The respondents had expressed mixed opinions about the adequacy, impact, rates, efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness of the existing deterrent measures against all examinations-related infractions and the vulnerability of the system to attack. The dominance of the ‘average’ perception of respondents to questions bothering on the level of deterrent strategies taken during examination corroborates the opinion expressed by Mireku et al.

[7]

where the need for improvement on the existing deterrent measures was stated. Findings from the survey also indicated that there are significant challenges in the accessibility of good and satisfactory welfare and mobility packages as well as the provision of a suitable operational environment for security personnel during examinations. This also corroborated the position held by Okoh and Nwachukwu

[16]

where it had been stated that the different sections of the educational system in Nigeria, including personnel welfare and operating environments need serious focus and attention from the government and other stakeholders if the present poor welfare and unsuitable environment-induced low morale of personnel is to be effectively addressed. The majority of the surveyed security personnel had also given an ‘average’ rating of the pre-examination preparations. This position of the respondents suggested more actions are needed towards adequate preparations for examinations and also corroborated the view expressed by Olawuyi et al.

[17]

where it had been stated that a successful examination system requires solid and formidable preparation which is presently lacking in most cases in Nigeria. The survey also established the relationship between security agents and other examination personnel was predominantly rated ‘high’ or ‘very high’. This buttressed a good working relationship among the different agencies of government saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring safety and orderliness when examination is being conducted at institutional or national levels. More than half of the survey security personnel had also affirmed that information dissemination and management during the examination process is largely efficient and effective. This is also largely responsible for the high level of sensitization and awareness of examinations among students, administrators and financing bodies

[18]

4. Conclusion

This report presented the opinions of different categories of security agents regarding their involvement and participation in the conduct of examinations in Nigeria. The survey cuts across the six geopolitical zones of the country with a total of 20,200 respondents. The qualifications of security personnel indicate a competent workforce with a significant number of tertiary-educated individuals. A significant level of compliance of stakeholders to examination regulations is a testament to the effective enforcement of rules by the security agencies. The surveyed individuals seemed not to have confidence in the existing deterrent strategies against corrupt practices during the examination. A substantial level of dissatisfaction with the operating environment and mechanisms for welfare and mobility package distribution had also been established. The feedback generated on the adequacy of pre-examination arrangements also implies there are gaps in certain aspects of the examination process which may be connected to inefficient communication, logistical challenges and inadequate resources. It has also been confirmed that a predominant degree of positive relationships exists between the security and examination personnel which is a positive development as this will foster a cooperative dynamic between the duos. The impressive opinion of surveyed security personnel on information dissemination and management during examinations is indicative of well-executed communication processes which largely accounts for the height of expertise, competency and professionalism often demonstrated by security personnel on examination-related issues.

Specifically, more attention should be given to improving the deterrent measures against examination misconduct by non-complying candidates during examinations. This can be achieved through increased vigilance to minimize potential rule violations. Efforts should be made to address factors that militate against the existing measures for curbing corrupt practices during examination. Bottlenecks against good welfare and mobility packages for security personnel should be removed. Increased investment towards boosting the examination environments and making them more conducive is also of high importance. Adhering to these suggestions has the potential to facilitate smoother running of examination processes in Nigeria.

Abbreviations

FRSC	Federal Road Safety Commission
NCDC	Nigerian Civil Defense Corps
WASSCE	West African Senior School Certificate Examination
SSCE	Senior Secondary Certificate Examination
UTME	Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination
SCT	Social Cognitive Theory

Authors Contributions

Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal Analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi: Data curation, Formal Analysis, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Micahel Abejide Adegoke: Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Validation, Writing – review & editing

David Bamidele Adewole: Formal Analysis, Funding acquisition, Resources, Software

Omohwo Ohwobeno: Funding acquisition, Methodology, Resources, Software

Acknowledgments

The noble role played by the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria’s Centre for Research and Development (CERAD) towards the success of this research is greatly acknowledged.

Funding

This research is funded by the Nigerian government’s 2023 Research Grant through the National Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

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Iwasokun, G. B., Afolabi, O. O., Adegoke, M. A., Adewole, D. B., Ohwobeno, O. (2025). Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria. International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies, 11(1), 35-44. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

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ACS Style

Iwasokun, G. B.; Afolabi, O. O.; Adegoke, M. A.; Adewole, D. B.; Ohwobeno, O. Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria. Int. J. Sustain. Manag. Inf. Technol. 2025, 11(1), 35-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

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AMA Style

Iwasokun GB, Afolabi OO, Adegoke MA, Adewole DB, Ohwobeno O. Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria. Int J Sustain Manag Inf Technol. 2025;11(1):35-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13,
  author = {Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun and Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi and Michael Abejide Adegoke and David Bamidele Adewole and Omohwo Ohwobeno},
  title = {Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria
},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {35-44},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsmit.20251101.13},
  abstract = {An examination is a means of assessing people’s knowledge, competence, or skills in a particular field. It can be through manual or physical contact or a computer-based approach. Achieving the purpose of high-standard examination can only be fulfilled when adequate measures are put in place and steps are taken to implement them. This study presents findings from the baseline study of security agents’ perspectives on conducting and administering examinations in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey approach that was based on the administration of a questionnaire which was carefully formulated to capture the views and opinions of the respondents on the available indices. The administered questionnaire was structured to curate information from the respondents about their knowledge of the stakeholders’ level of infractions and conformity with regulations. The survey attempted to know the extent of deterrent strategies against infractions and corrupt practices, the welfare packages available to security agents, and the examination bodies’ general performances, among others. Twenty thousand and two hundred (20,200) respondents across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria from different categories of security agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps (NCDC), Police Force, and private security outfits participated in the survey. The statistical-based analysis of data obtained from the survey revealed that the educational system has a competent workforce with a significant number of tertiary-educated individuals, a significant level of compliance of stakeholders to examination regulations, and effective enforcement of rules by security agencies. The analysis also revealed a substantial level of inadequacies with the operating environment and mechanisms for welfare and mobility packages as well as gaps in certain aspects of the examination process which may be connected to inefficient communication, logistical challenges and inadequate resources. The study justified the need for more attention to improving on the deterrent measures against examination misconduct through increased vigilance and addressing some factors that militate against the existing measures for curbing corrupt practices during the examination.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria

AU  - Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun
AU  - Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi
AU  - Michael Abejide Adegoke
AU  - David Bamidele Adewole
AU  - Omohwo Ohwobeno
Y1  - 2025/03/13
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
T2  - International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies
JF  - International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies
JO  - International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies
SP  - 35
EP  - 44
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5110
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
AB  - An examination is a means of assessing people’s knowledge, competence, or skills in a particular field. It can be through manual or physical contact or a computer-based approach. Achieving the purpose of high-standard examination can only be fulfilled when adequate measures are put in place and steps are taken to implement them. This study presents findings from the baseline study of security agents’ perspectives on conducting and administering examinations in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey approach that was based on the administration of a questionnaire which was carefully formulated to capture the views and opinions of the respondents on the available indices. The administered questionnaire was structured to curate information from the respondents about their knowledge of the stakeholders’ level of infractions and conformity with regulations. The survey attempted to know the extent of deterrent strategies against infractions and corrupt practices, the welfare packages available to security agents, and the examination bodies’ general performances, among others. Twenty thousand and two hundred (20,200) respondents across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria from different categories of security agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps (NCDC), Police Force, and private security outfits participated in the survey. The statistical-based analysis of data obtained from the survey revealed that the educational system has a competent workforce with a significant number of tertiary-educated individuals, a significant level of compliance of stakeholders to examination regulations, and effective enforcement of rules by security agencies. The analysis also revealed a substantial level of inadequacies with the operating environment and mechanisms for welfare and mobility packages as well as gaps in certain aspects of the examination process which may be connected to inefficient communication, logistical challenges and inadequate resources. The study justified the need for more attention to improving on the deterrent measures against examination misconduct through increased vigilance and addressing some factors that militate against the existing measures for curbing corrupt practices during the examination.

VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun

Department of Software Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

Research Fields: Artificial Intelligence, Information Security, Soft computing, Princi-pal Components and Factor Analytics, Software Engineering, Educa-tional Assessment

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9775-5631
Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi

Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Nigeria

Research Fields: Artificial Intelligence, Pervasive Computing, Educational Assessment and Management, Information Technology, Data Analytics

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4596-7824
Michael Abejide Adegoke

Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria

Research Fields: Artificial Intelligence, Modeling and Simulation, Software Engineer-ing, Education Assessment, Data Management and Analytics

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4366-6326
David Bamidele Adewole

Department of Software Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

Research Fields: Smart Object and Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Infor-mation and Data Security, Data Analytics, Software Engineering

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0001-3382-3025
Omohwo Ohwobeno

Department of Computer Science, Delta State University, Asaba, Nigeria

Research Fields: Network Security, Electronic Administration and Management, Software Engineering, Data Analytics, Computer Science

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-7560-8368

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Iwasokun, G. B., Afolabi, O. O., Adegoke, M. A., Adewole, D. B., Ohwobeno, O. (2025). Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria. International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies, 11(1), 35-44. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

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ACS Style

Iwasokun, G. B.; Afolabi, O. O.; Adegoke, M. A.; Adewole, D. B.; Ohwobeno, O. Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria. Int. J. Sustain. Manag. Inf. Technol. 2025, 11(1), 35-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

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AMA Style

Iwasokun GB, Afolabi OO, Adegoke MA, Adewole DB, Ohwobeno O. Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria. Int J Sustain Manag Inf Technol. 2025;11(1):35-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13,
  author = {Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun and Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi and Michael Abejide Adegoke and David Bamidele Adewole and Omohwo Ohwobeno},
  title = {Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria
},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {35-44},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsmit.20251101.13},
  abstract = {An examination is a means of assessing people’s knowledge, competence, or skills in a particular field. It can be through manual or physical contact or a computer-based approach. Achieving the purpose of high-standard examination can only be fulfilled when adequate measures are put in place and steps are taken to implement them. This study presents findings from the baseline study of security agents’ perspectives on conducting and administering examinations in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey approach that was based on the administration of a questionnaire which was carefully formulated to capture the views and opinions of the respondents on the available indices. The administered questionnaire was structured to curate information from the respondents about their knowledge of the stakeholders’ level of infractions and conformity with regulations. The survey attempted to know the extent of deterrent strategies against infractions and corrupt practices, the welfare packages available to security agents, and the examination bodies’ general performances, among others. Twenty thousand and two hundred (20,200) respondents across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria from different categories of security agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps (NCDC), Police Force, and private security outfits participated in the survey. The statistical-based analysis of data obtained from the survey revealed that the educational system has a competent workforce with a significant number of tertiary-educated individuals, a significant level of compliance of stakeholders to examination regulations, and effective enforcement of rules by security agencies. The analysis also revealed a substantial level of inadequacies with the operating environment and mechanisms for welfare and mobility packages as well as gaps in certain aspects of the examination process which may be connected to inefficient communication, logistical challenges and inadequate resources. The study justified the need for more attention to improving on the deterrent measures against examination misconduct through increased vigilance and addressing some factors that militate against the existing measures for curbing corrupt practices during the examination.
},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Security Agents Insight Analysis of the Educational Assessment in Nigeria

AU  - Gabriel Babatunde Iwasokun
AU  - Olaitan Omowumi Afolabi
AU  - Michael Abejide Adegoke
AU  - David Bamidele Adewole
AU  - Omohwo Ohwobeno
Y1  - 2025/03/13
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
T2  - International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies
JF  - International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies
JO  - International Journal of Sustainability Management and Information Technologies
SP  - 35
EP  - 44
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5110
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsmit.20251101.13
AB  - An examination is a means of assessing people’s knowledge, competence, or skills in a particular field. It can be through manual or physical contact or a computer-based approach. Achieving the purpose of high-standard examination can only be fulfilled when adequate measures are put in place and steps are taken to implement them. This study presents findings from the baseline study of security agents’ perspectives on conducting and administering examinations in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey approach that was based on the administration of a questionnaire which was carefully formulated to capture the views and opinions of the respondents on the available indices. The administered questionnaire was structured to curate information from the respondents about their knowledge of the stakeholders’ level of infractions and conformity with regulations. The survey attempted to know the extent of deterrent strategies against infractions and corrupt practices, the welfare packages available to security agents, and the examination bodies’ general performances, among others. Twenty thousand and two hundred (20,200) respondents across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria from different categories of security agencies including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps (NCDC), Police Force, and private security outfits participated in the survey. The statistical-based analysis of data obtained from the survey revealed that the educational system has a competent workforce with a significant number of tertiary-educated individuals, a significant level of compliance of stakeholders to examination regulations, and effective enforcement of rules by security agencies. The analysis also revealed a substantial level of inadequacies with the operating environment and mechanisms for welfare and mobility packages as well as gaps in certain aspects of the examination process which may be connected to inefficient communication, logistical challenges and inadequate resources. The study justified the need for more attention to improving on the deterrent measures against examination misconduct through increased vigilance and addressing some factors that militate against the existing measures for curbing corrupt practices during the examination.

VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

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