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.
