Read 2 Timothy 2:15, Joshua 1:8; Proverbs 2:5-7, 11; 4:7. Examination is either a spoken or written test of knowledge that shows a person’s progress, knowledge, or ability. This article will examine exam failure.
After being assessed, examinations open the door to promotion for learners. Students of ten write qualifying examinations to progress in academics. One needs to pass a qualifying examination to begin or continue with a course of study.
The need to soar high academically brought about writing qualifying examinations to ascertain if one is worth beginning or continuing with a course of study.
But most of the time, many students fail the qualifying examinations and spend more years trying to pass them. But those who prepare well for the examinations often come out with very good results.
Primacy of Passing the Qualifying Examination
Read Joshua 1:8
It is important to point out that passing a qualifying examination is paramount to moving forward academically. The qualifying examination is a stepping stone on the ladder of success, on which our progress hinges as students. Anyone who fails remains at a stagnant point until such a person passes such examination.
Many students today spend long years trying to pass qualifying examinations such as WASCE, JSCE, UTME, GCE, and other Advanced Level examinations.
The upward movement in further studies, either into a university, polytechnic or mono-technic, hinges on passing these qualifying examinations. No admission will be given to such a student because he is assumed not to possess the basic requirements to continue.
Practices That Lead to Failure in Qualifying Examinations
Read Proverbs 12:24, 15:19, 18:9
At any level of qualifying examination, the percentage of people who pass with excellent grades is few. This is coupled with many students’ failure to prepare adequately for the examination. In most cases, laziness and foolishness are common reasons why people fail in qualifying examinations. Some other pathways that lead to exam failure are:
- Regular absence from school or classes.
- Not paying attention when teachers are teaching
- Neglecting to do tests and assignments
- Not having enough time to study or starting revision late
- Putting oneself under too much stress
- Not paying attention to instructions during the examination
- Bad time management during the examination
- Inability to understand or interpret examination questions
- Eating the “king’s meat” of examination malpractice.
The Principles for Overcoming Failure in Qualifying Examinations
Read Joshua 1:8; Proverbs 24:27
Exam failure is avoidable. A common adage says, “Proper preparation prevents poor performance”. Whether an examination is ‘essay type’ or ‘objective type’, certain principles or practices, if employed, will bring about success. Some of them include:
- Make a schedule or timetable for the review of your notes or textbook
- Take into consideration when various examinations are to take place and how much preparation you should make.
- Listing the topics treated and making sure you adequately cover not least 90% of the topics
- Anticipating the likely questions that may be asked
- Joining a study group of serious-minded, same-gender students.
- Giving yourself mock examinations before the qualifying examination
What the church or Religious bodies should do for students/learners
Religious bodies like churches and mosques cannot be left out in the examination success of their learners. They have roles to play in different ways. Let us articulate some of the steps they have to take.
- The religious bodies should organise prayer sessions for the success of their children.
- The religious bodies should organise extra-mural classes for the students of their churches or mosques before the days of examinations.
- The religious bodies should organise seminar classes that will orientate their students on the dos and don’ts of examinations that can lead to failure.
- The religious bodies organise orientation programs that will explain how to tackle each question of each subject/paper and how to overcome examination phobia.
- The religious bodies should organise counselling units for all the students to deal with the need for examination psychologically, emotionally, physically, spiritually and so on.
Recently, hardly any newsreader or newscaster ends the news without a media outlet. The examination is a threat to candidates irrespective of their levels. public, governments, employers of labour and the international community
Curriculum Innovation
This paper attempts to outline the various ways through which curriculum innovation could tackle the Challenge posed by Examination. Specifically, the paper attempts tomes postulate reasons for candidates’ decisions to pass by all means; and identify how the agent’s examination could be reduced through curriculum innovation.
Teaching and Learning
“Most of the evils attendant on the present examination system have accumulated because examinations are isolated from teaching and learning. They are considered as an event in the school life of the pupil, distinct from his day-to-day learning programme. They also announced with authority by the school and accepted with awe by the pupil” (Phillips, H.M.1975)
Three terms need clarification. The attempt is not to go into any philosophical postulations on these terms: Curriculum, Innovation and Examination. It is, however, expedient that the semantic implication of this educational jargon is clear.
i. Curriculum
Curriculum can be explained according to Odubunmi and Salawu (1994) as “all the desirable learning experiences; cognitive, psychomotor and affective. We planned it for the learners under the direction of the school to achieve educational goals and procedures, strategies and materials.
We employed it for effective reconstruction of such experiences”. We emphasised it partially, only the learning experiences, which, according to Oliver and materials which should be properly selected on a sound psychological basis, are often neglected.
ii. Innovation
Innovation per se connotes a form of change brought about as a result of discovery; innovate is to introduce something new, to renew, to make changes or to introduce novelties.
Nisbet (1975), however, describes curriculum innovation as any new policy, syllabus, method or organisational change which is intended to improve teaching and learning. The emphasis here is on the improvement of teaching and learning.
Examination and test are words often used interchangeably. The examination is a test of capacity and knowledge.
The examination is limited in its usefulness in indicating attainment (Hills, 1977). The point here is that more often than not, an examination or test is used for evaluation without considering the other processes of measurement and assessment.
For instance, assessment deals with identifying the status of individuals or groups concerning expected outcomes. The result of his assessment of others in his group will lead to decide his performance (evaluation).
The Need for Examination
Examinations have two major purposes. Selection and evaluation: The selection function deals with decision making, which may or may not be made by people within a given school system.
A six-year-old child seeking admission into primary class may face an informal examination by the head teacher of the school of his choice. It may be for admission to higher education.
The selection may be to the various academic departments, careers or by employers based on what requisite qualifications are demanded for their job.
Roles for Evaluation
On the other hand, Taba (1962) identified the following specific roles of evaluation:
- Clarification of objectives of the objectives of describing which behaviours represent achievement in a particular area.
- Appropriate ways of summarising and interpreting that evidence.
- The use of information gained on the progress of students or the lack of it to improve curriculum, teaching and guidance.
Pacing the Challenge of Examination Malpractice through Communication
From the above analysis, it could be gathered that examinations are needed by the teachers, learners, government and the general public at large in making rational decisions; they are used by tea teaching and learning.
The results of the examination are important to the candidate who may benefit from the school system. Such results may serve the purpose of either a positive reinforcer or a negative reinforcer to achieve the desired goal. You can read more similar posts on our Bible page of the site.
