Malpractice and Maladministration Policy
Policy Statement
Acts that compromise, seek to undermine, or have the potential to compromise the process of assessment, the integrity of any qualification, or the validity of an examination result or certificate constitute malpractice. This can harm the credibility and reputation of all those involved.
Maladministration is any conduct or practice that leads to the violation of administrative regulations and procedures.
ProTherapist Academy prohibits learners and faculty/employees from engaging in (or attempting to engage in) malpractice or maladministration in relation to any qualification and examination.
When occurrences (or attempted incidents) of malpractice or poor management are confirmed, ProTherapist Academy may take disciplinary action against learners or faculty/employees.
Introduction
This document explains investigation and determination procedures for allegations of malpractice and maladministration.
All employees must be alert in regards to malpractice and maladministration, and when either occurs, it must be dealt with in a fair, comprehensive, impartial, and objective manner.
The Principal will oversee investigations into charges of malfeasance or mismanagement. In addition, they must warn any individuals suspected of malpractice or maladministration of their rights and obligations.
The school stipulates:
- Trainers must have requested that all learners attest that their work is their own.
- All learners are made aware of academic dishonesty and its consequences.
- All learners must be familiar with the proper formats for citing texts and other relevant resources or information sources that can contribute to their achievements.
- Procedures for grading and examining work are effective and reduce or identify instances of misconduct, such as plagiarism, collusion, and cheating, among others.
Learner Malpractice
The following are examples of learner misconduct; this list is not exhaustive, and the company may consider further cases of malpractice at its discretion.
- Plagiarism is the act of duplicating or passing off someone else’s work as one’s own, including artwork, photographs, words, computer-generated material (including internet sources), thoughts, inventions, and/or discoveries without the approval of the inventor.
- Collaboration with other students beyond what is acceptable is considered collusion.
- Copying another student’s work or allowing it to be copied is unethical.
- Disruptive behaviour in an exam room (including the use of offensive language)
- Exchanging, obtaining, receiving, or disseminating examination-related information (or attempting to do so).
- Falsely attesting to the originality of coursework or portfolio items.
- Misuse or attempted misuse of examination resources and materials (e.g. exemplar materials)
- Personating/pretending to be someone else.
- Theft of a classmate’s work.
- Bringing unapproved materials into the examination room, such as study guides, is prohibited.
- Behaving in a manner that undermines the examination’s integrity.
- Altering any documentation of results, including certificates.
- Disobedience to examiner’s instructions or advice.
- Violation of examiner instructions or guidance.
Staff and Centre Malpractice and Maladministration
The following are examples of staff misconduct; this list is not exhaustive, and the corporation may evaluate further cases of misconduct at its discretion.
- Failing to keep secure records as required by the examination body
- Altering individual scripts or coursework after collection is prohibited.
- Obtaining unauthorised access to examination materials prior to the exam is unethical.
- Including fictional pupils in examinations.
- Assisting learners in producing work in which the assistance has the potential to affect the outcome, or providing assistance with answers.
- Lack of accurate and timely documentation
- Failing to conduct a comprehensive investigation into potential malpractice.
- Producing forged paperwork, which also include those kind of false sick notes or learner IDs
- Permitting and encouraging imitation
- Falsifying records or credentials
Discovery of Malpractice and Maladministration
Any acts of malpractice or maladministration, or attempted acts of malpractice or maladministration, that have had an effect on learner’s results must be reported to the Principal.
Any alleged incident of malpractice or maladministration brought to the examination body’s attention after the issuing of certificates may result in a thorough investigation.
Investigating alleged Malpractice and Maladministration
For investigation purposes, the Principal will have complete access to any records pertaining to alleged instances of malpractice and maladministration. Examiner feedback may be included in the investigation, if applicable.
As part of this investigation, the company reserves the right to include learners and other individuals. If the security of an examination is deemed to be at risk, the examination board may withhold results/certificates or examination papers during the inquiry period (pending the outcome of the investigation).
Dealing with Malpractice and Maladministration
It is the Principal’s obligation to examine any allegations of misconduct and poor management. Any suspected incident must be reported to the Principal as soon as possible. If malpractice or maladministration is discovered or suspected at ProTherapist Academy, the individual must be informed in writing as soon as feasible of the nature of the complaint and the potential repercussions if the malpractice or maladministration is confirmed. The individual must be given the opportunity to respond in writing to the allegations brought against them and must be advised of their options for appealing if they are found guilty.
In the event that certifications are judged invalid, regulatory authorities will be notified.
Appeals
Those involved in an investigation may appeal an unsatisfactory outcome to the Consultant and then to the Principal, whose decision is final.