WHY STUDENTS FAIL WASSCE EXAMINATION

Today students are faced with a lot of distractions and you wouldn’t blame them, life is really   happening to them. They are so privileged with much access to learning yet they are so encumbered with so many distractions because the same access to learning comes with avenues for sheer frivolities. Recently there has been mass failure in WASSCE examination in our country and the following are the most subtle reasons why our children fail.

1.      Candidates not following the trend of exam papers: 
 One would agree with me that examiners are not out to fail students but rather the purpose of examination is to test the students understanding and knowledge of the subject and topic they are given. Examiners usually leave a trace in the pattern of questions the set from year to year. A careful study of past questions over the past decade will at least guide an observant student as to what form of questions are asked in order to prepare accordingly.

2.      Wrong interpretation of questions: 
A lot of students get questions twisted because of lack of understanding of it, and exam questions tend to be moderately tricky, meanwhile a student  must follow through the thoughts of the examiner on each question in order to give answers correctly. If one reads a question wrongly, how then can it be answered correctly

3.      Students not reading wide and deep enough: 
Many students read only their class notebooks in preparation for this exam instead of getting textbooks alongside their notebooks in order to read extensively but some are scared of textbooks while some others read only what they find cheap leaving out the ones they consider difficult, meanwhile when those question are seen in the examination papers they usually carry more marks and at the end of the day students fail such questions and eventually fail the examination if they haven’t answered others correctly.

4.      Not articulating answers well enough:
 A lot of students can’t spell correctly; some have illegible hand writing, while others can’t even speak correctly so how then can they write correctly. A student needs to lay answer points progressively climaxing with the examiners predetermined outcome. The examiner doesn’t just want the student to get the answer to the question; he expects him or her to arrive at it through a step by step logical sequence that would leave no doubt of his or her understanding of the question topic and subject.

5.      Dependence on examination malpractice and miracle centers: 
Today, majority of students can’t write examination without engaging in malpractice, when they get caught they eventually fail  while some others depend totally on miracle centers without reading and at the end of the day they end up failing when miracle centers can’t perform their miracles.

6.      Parent’s role:
  Our parents are also a part of it and more seriously our mothers. A child that is preparing for an examination is the same child a mother always calls upon to work with or maybe do the chores in the home, the child works all day and at the end of the day he or she would be tired and sleep off just when she wants to read. A child can do chores but we should please not overwork our children that are preparing for exams. They should also be encouraged to read and not to play.

POSSIBLE INSIGHTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN EXAMINATIONS

Advice to students

·         Students are therefore advised to have a good understanding of each question, leaning the basic rudiments of English language for better and proper presentation of their answers

·         Getting appropriate textbooks in all subjects and study them side by side with the examination syllabus and chief examiners report. They should endeavor to cover the syllabus before the commencement of the examination.

·         Students should stay focused on their books and forget about distractions for success to be achieved.

To the schools

·         The Committee of NEC has advised the owners of government and private schools to provide basic infrastructure and conducive learning atmosphere in their schools because poor learning environment affects the children.

·         Only qualified and committed teachers should be employed:-Teachers who would teach their subjects effectively and guide students to become exemplary in their studies.

To the Government

·         The various State Ministry of Education and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja should exercise restraint in recommending schools to the council for recognition.

To the WAEC body

·         WAEC should provide cameras in examination rooms to look out for examination malpractice; a lot of students have failed not because they were engaged in examination malpractice but because they were suspected.

·         They could also organize free workshops and seminars for secondary school teachers to enlighten them on their syllabus and exam rudiments.