Title: On the asymptotic effect of examination malpractice on the structure of a Markovian multi-echelon educational system

Authors: Virtue U. Ekhosuehi, Augustine A. Osagiede

Addresses: Department of Mathematics, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. ' Department of Mathematics, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract: The theoretical framework in modelling the transition process in this study is analogous to the imbedding transformation of the transition process in a manpower system into a k × k matrix space as in the Young/Almond-type model. We prove that in an environment saddled with examination malpractice, where strategies to curb the malpractice rate are generally not effective, then, against every possible growth rate, the students| stocks in each level of an educational institution where examination malpractice is prohibited will degenerate to zero in the long-run. An example problem is included to illustrate this assertion.

Keywords: examination malpractice; imbedded Markov chain; multiechelon educational systems; Young-Almond type model; cheating; part-time programmes; part-time courses; Nigeria; universities; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMOR.2011.043013

International Journal of Mathematics in Operational Research, 2011 Vol.3 No.6, pp.619 - 635

Published online: 12 Feb 2015 *

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