Academic integrity under scrutiny: a cross-country investigation into examination malpractice and plagiaristic behavior among pre-tertiary students in Ghana and Botswana

Academic integrity has emerged as a critical concern within global education systems, particularly with the rise of digital technologies that provide students with unprecedented access to information, facilitating academic misconduct. While many Western educational contexts emphasize individual responsibility for academic honesty, educational systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Ghana and Botswana, face unique challenges shaped by cultural values, resource constraints, and institutional practices. This comparative study explored the perspectives and behaviors of pre-tertiary students in Ghana and Botswana regarding academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, within the context of their respective educational environments. A descriptive-correlational survey design was employed, with data collected from 600 pre-tertiary students (300 from each country) through a structured questionnaire. The study investigated the relationship between pre-tertiary students’ self-reported engagement in academic dishonesty, their awareness of academic integrity policies, and the level of teacher supervision during assessments. Findings suggest that while both countries exhibit concerns related to academic dishonesty, cultural and institutional factors significantly influence pre-tertiary students’ perceptions and behaviors. This study highlights the need for contextually tailored academic integrity frameworks in Sub-Saharan Africa, which consider both the socio-cultural values and institutional capacities of countries like Ghana and Botswana. It also emphasized the importance of raising awareness about academic integrity policies and improving teacher supervision to foster a culture of honesty and fairness in assessments. The study recommended stronger enforcement of integrity policies, increased supervision during assessments, and embedding ethics education in curricula to foster a culture of academic honesty.