Do you agree with the statement "examinations should be abolished"?

University Degree Education and Teaching

Louis Krisman (16) (423)

St. Joseph’s Institution

Do you agree with the statement “examinations should be abolished”?

Examinations, as we know it, have emerged to be the main facet of modern education in the ever-changing landscape of academia. In an education infrastructure that is as unpredictable as the clouds, it is somewhat ironic that the system of examinations as a means of judging a student’s ability has prevailed through the years. Every person, in their quest for knowledge, would inevitably encounter numerous modes of examinations throughout the course of their academic journey. As much importance has been attached to it in virtually every academic institutions across the globe, the voices of those who lobby for its eradication are seldom heard, let alone be considered seriously. There are various reasons for policymakers to initiate a rethink of the much-vaunted examination system. I am of the opinion that the time has come for us to abolish this system; a system which has come under fire from multiple sections of the community, particularly the students.

As it is, examinations are timed written or oral assessments held at the end of an academic term. It serves to asses a student’s knowledge and comprehension of all the subjects he has studied over the course of the term. Rather than tracking a student’s progress over the course of the term, it judges his/her ability over a handful of written or oral pieces. This is obviously not an accurate indication of one’s progress. Take for example the case of an intelligent and dexterous student who never fails to impress teachers and peers alike in his daily homework and assignments, but fell miserably short of the marks when it comes to the examinations, due to unforeseen circumstances that are not within his influence. These so-called “unforeseen circumstances” might be familial problems that have plunged the pupil into a deep mire of depression. Is it not unfair, then, to tag him as a ‘failure’ and, more crassly, a ‘dim-witted’ learner? As the rigid examination system goes, he would be labeled and remembered for his mediocre results in the examination, and not for the sterling performances he consistently displays in the daily assignments. It does not help that, through many years of societal developments and evolutions, the adults of our world have grossly incorrect mindsets on the topic of examinations. More emphasis is placed on examinations just because they are the sole mode of assessment that counts in the final grading. As much as the general public loves to refute, our society is driven by an extremely judgmental mindset which marginalize those without distinctions or notable achievements in their academic pursuits. It is simply wrong and unjust to base a student’s intelligence and ability on a single examination.

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The fact that daily assignments are neglected leaves us with another point to ponder over. If it has come to the student’s realization that pieces of work which are handed out daily are unimportant, won’t he then turn a blind eye to punctuality and accountability? Procrastination, time’s greatest thief, would soon entail for his perception of these “irrelevant” assignments has been distorted to a great extent. This would, in turn, lead to many different problems, for instance the constant reminder to hand in assignments and students losing any notion of urgency. As much as the student is not benefiting from the homework, the teacher has also to be encumbered with the daunting task of constantly reminding the recalcitrant students to complete their work. There is no practical solution to this problem as their minds have been tuned in the belief that nothing else matters as long as they score excellent grades in their examinations. The students would conveniently obliterate any lingering traces of the chapters they have memorized to make way for the new topics. Homework and daily assignments would be sloppily and haphazardly completed as it does not contribute, in any shape or form, to the grades in the report card. Evidently, the approach to examination has instilled in the students an extremely flawed mentality; a mentality that emphasizes too much on the monotony of memorization of contents and regurgitating them on paper. It would defeat the very purpose of education and its learning processes, which are meant to be flexible, engaging and inspirational. Furthermore, examinations allow pupils who possess superior memory and clever "exam techniques" to gain an unfair advantage over their peers. It would also encourage students to prime themselves for the examinations at the eleventh hour, instead of sustaining their diligence over a semester.

Examinations also force our young minds to work under a tremendous amount of pressure. This is especially true as they are being tested on an enormous cluster of subjects and topics, which require them to be adept in their memorization skills and application of theories. Examinations assess a student’s ability in memorising the term’s topics, all in a handful of pages of questions. It is much more rational and justified to track a student’s progress over the course of the term, instead of forcing him/her to undertake a single “make or break” assessment at which there is no second chance. One can imagine the impeding weight of expectations on a student to perform. It is preposterous and outrageous to expect children as young as eleven to commit to memory hundreds of pages of facts, formulas and hypotheses. Rote learning is deadening methods of educating the nation’s students and would not serve those with lesser mental capacity well. A brilliant student who frequently puts forth many innovative ideas in class, but who regrettably lacks in mnemonic capabilities, would be undone by the rigid system. Young children have the rest of their lives to toil and break new grounds; grown-ups like us must not ruin their innocent childhood period with the over-demanding rigours of academia. The day will soon arrive when humanity’s hopes are, sadly, pinned on the shoulders of stiff learners and uninspired people. These dull minds are the very products of our examination system; the very type of people society is saturated with presently, unfortunately.

On a final note, the time is ripe for all concerned to take a step back and re-assess the real benefits of examinations. It is an exigent circumstance which we are in. As society evolves and technology advances, there is much more to education than simply monotonously memorizing the bare facts of the world. The globalised world of today requires our children to embrace the earth and be innovative. Creativity fuels the innovation engine; with examinations, it is difficult to see how the imaginative aspects of their minds can be developed. One can envision the miserable world our future generations will thrive in, if no steps are taken to keep up with the world’s needs. We cannot allow ourselves to be entrenched in deeply traditional methods; antiquated values no longer function in this day and age.

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