rule of the game. In his words, he says, “In the school, teach him it is far honorable to fail than to cheat.”
Gone are the days when parents prodded their children to study hard and pass their examinations. These days, they are the forerunners of ideas that could enable their wards break the rules. They help their wards engage in examination malpractice and sponsor people to undertake exams on their behalf. This trend is taking a massive turn and hitting the academic system of many countries badly.
Teachers now rather than support hardwork are now the instruments through which parents now find to help their wards cheat. Some now impose fees, as a means to break the rules to their benefit while stifling hard work by giving difficult sums that no student would be able to solve.
The high rate of examination malpractice is taking a new dimension with students protecting themselves from being caught by developing a variety of tactics. The effect of this is a disastrous future for the nation and the people who are going to live in a future where the entire rules are broken. You can expect a catastrophe of large proportion
The question we should be asking is “what kind of future do we want our wards to live in?” is it a future where everyone strives to get all he can get as his share of the national cake or where everyone sees hardwork as a virtue worth having and keeping for the good of the general public. Have you considered your wards being at the negative end of a failed system you helped create?
The time to put an end to this is now. Take a cue from Abraham Lincoln’s words. Parents have a huge responsibility to develop in their wards a sense of responsibility. Children have to recognize that cheating is a vice however the form. Parents have to encourage hardwork as the source of good success rather than the short-term achievement of broken rules. They have a duty to promote true studentship, prodding their wards to study and get acclaim. Parents should allow their wards fail and learn from their mistakes rather than cover up the mistakes for the future where it might boomerang
Teachers who are the custodians of knowledge must realize that they would be failed teachers if their wards do not know enough to enable them get through their exams. Teachers should encourage hardwork but they should remove the ideology of examinations as a do or die affair. Teachers should refuse being bought over by parents or students who desire to get through one exam or the order. By encouraging this, you sell out the virtue you once protected, hardwork.
Teachers are the salt capable of salting the nation if they choose to act right. The effect they have on their wards is tremendous. If a teachers choses to do his job effectively, he could positive affect how his wards carry out their task too. Teachers should keep themselves as examples of perseverance and righteousness. Students should have them to look up to as moral actors they could watch and take example. Teachers should try as much as possible to shun vices that support malpractice. By doing this they will encourage the students to pull their heads down and study as much as possible.
Parents have a great duty as custodians of their wards to put them right and give them good counsel on the reasons why cheating is wrong. Parents should not give chance for their wards to consider such acts. They should guard against it by creating the right environment for effective study in the home.
Parents should call the game and lay down guiding rule and regulations that should guide the child. Parents should encourage their wards to develop themselves while putting in them the virtues of self-confidence and self-belief. When a child believes in himself, he goes all the miles to achieve great achievements the right way.
The future is great. We should not kill it by allowing the wrong vices in the men and women of the future.