Cheating During Examination: Inference on Human Capital Quality

Abstract

School management sets the norms of conduct for the guidance of its constituency. Cheating violates a norm of conduct and symbolizes decadence of value. Anchored on personal value and social disorganization theory, this case study involving college sophomore, junior, and senior student-participants of a government school in Eastern Samar, Philippines who were purposively referred by their class adviser, revealed that cheating was dictated by the desire of the student to avoid failing grade yet lazy to study. The participants’ laziness to study indicated absence if not decadence of industry, diligence, and perseverance. Instead, they were hounded with mediocrity that is the foundation of laziness. They gamble for the stealthy misdeed to satisfy instant gratification to pass the examination. The study likewise revealed that the participants loosely nurtured the value of honesty and self-respect, which justified their cheating. The participants stated that dishonesty and lack of selfrespect are brought to the workplace manifested in lack of selfconfidence, dependence on others, and easy-go-lucky attitude.