On Tuesday, 2 February 2021, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) adjudicated a case on examination malpractice involving three (3) students. While the lecturer was marking two (2) of the students' exam papers, they had similar solutions for almost every question. For the other student, the lecturer noticed that he/she had provided a solution to a question that was not part of his/her question set.
As stated in Ashesi’s student handbook:
"The purpose of the Exam Code of Conduct is to create an ethical environment for examinations. Failure to abide by the Exam Code of Conduct can result in disciplinary action. During an examination, students:
- Are not allowed to talk to each other, exchange verbal or non-verbal information or physical objects of any kind or engage in any activity that could result in the unfair advantage for one or more students before, during, or after the quiz or exam, while they are in or out of the classroom.” (Section 8.1)
After deliberating, AJC reached the following sanction:
All three (3) students were found guilty of cheating on an exam and will receive a failing grade for the course
Advice to the Ashesi community:
- Students must understand that lying to an Ashesi official is against Ashesi's code of ethics and it is a serious offence
- Students should pay attention to the examination rules/regulations and make sure they understand what is required of them before starting an exam.
- Students should communicate with faculty about any difficulties with assignments/projects, immediately after receiving the assignment/project.
- Students must always present work that is a true reflection of their abilities.
- If in doubt about academic practices and procedures, do not hesitate to speak with your faculty.
We hope that this case will serve as a learning experience for our community. The Ashesi Honor Code should not be compromised no matter the situation. Remember, as a trusted community, we are to uphold our values and be confident to hold others accountable for their actions. Academic honesty is very important at Ashesi and is central to our mission of training a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within our students the critical thinking skills, concern for others and the courage will take to transform a continent.