Exams – a word that many students dread to hear, a word that seems to have the magical power to transform a happy and cheerful person into a frustrated and nervous wreck. What are exams, and should they be done away with entirely?
Examinations, exams for short, are longer and more comprehensive versions of tests held every term. They were initially created to monitor and check how a student was performing academically. however, as time progressed, more and more emphasis was placed on tests and exams, and it reached the stage when a pupil was said to be fooling around just because he/she did badly for a certain test/exam. This in turn led to students mugging, even burning the midnight oil to study for a particular test. This led to some falling ill due to reasons like lack of sleep and stress.
Are examinations accurate indications of one’s progress? I say not, as most students start studying only when a test or exam is approaching. The results are therefore not an accurate prediction of one’s knowledge on the subject. After a particular chapter’s contents are tested, he/she would quite happily “ wipe out” whatever he/she had studied to make way for new chapters. Homework and assignments would not be taken as seriously as they were not considered.
What should be done instead of sitting for exams, in my opinion, is to take the results of daily work and assignments. This will force students to take each piece of work seriously and pay attention during class, fully maximising their potential.
