Thesis:

Influence of examination management practices on academic integrity in public tertiary institutions in Mandera county, Kenya

Enhancing academic integrity and certification credibility relies on effective examination management. However, Mandera County's public tertiary institutions face malpractices that undermine credibility. This study investigates examination management practices' influence on academic integrity in these institutions. Objectives include examining the impact of examination setting, storage, distribution, invigilation, marking, and grading on academic integrity. Insights from Systems theory, Academic Performance theory, and Examination Malpractice Lemon theory inform the research. To conduct the study, a mixed methodology was employed, utilizing the concurrent triangulation research design. The target population consisted of 1394 respondents, including three principals and 150 College Tutors, seven Examination Officers and 1234 students from which 462 respondents were sampled using Yamane’s Formula. From this sample, three principals and seven examination officers were chosen using purposive sampling. Conversely, from each college, 150 tutors were selected using purposive sampling and about 303 students were selected randomly. Through the application of this sampling procedure, the researcher successfully obtained a sample comprising three principals, seven examination officers, 150 teachers and 303 students. Quantitative data was collected from college tutors and students via questionnaires, while qualitative data came from principals and Examination Officers through interviews. To ensure validity, reliability, credibility, and dependability, a pilot study involved 10% of the total sample size (463 participants) from a neighboring county. Experts established face and content validity. Reliability was assessed using the test- retest method, with a resulting coefficient of r = 0.725, indicating commendable internal reliability. Credibility relied on data triangulation by multiple analysts, and dependability through detailed reporting of the data collection process. Data analysis identified recurring themes in respondents' experiences. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis, aligning with the study objectives, and were subsequently presented in both verbatim and narrative formats. For the quantitative data, a descriptive analysis was conducted, utilizing frequencies and percentages. Additionally, inferential statistics were performed through Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 23), and the findings were presented in tabular form. The study's outcomes revealed the existence of diverse examination practices that contribute to the enhancement of academic integrity. The study reveals that most tertiary institutions have not fully adopted crucial examination practices, including setting, distribution, invigilation, and marking. To address this, it proposes prioritizing training sessions for teachers to enhance their examination setting skills. Additionally, implementing ample security measures during examination distribution is crucial to curb malpractices. Adhering to invigilation specifications, considering the number of students per class, is also recommended. Standardizing marking and grading will allow students to compare their performance across institutions, promoting improvement. Effective implementation of examination management practices by the Ministry of Education is essential.