This is my success card for all our Std 8 and Form Four candidates.
Having gallantly trodden the academic path, you can now make the grand match into the examination room. Bravo!
For your information, examinations were invented by an American businessman Henry Fischel in the nineteenth century.
In ancient China, to be a government official was considered a great prestige that would open doors to joining the elite club.
For such an appointment, one had to pass the imperial examinations designed meticulously under the watch of Emperor Zhang of Hen.
However, China abolished this arrangement in 1905 but it had been adopted by England for Her Majesty's Civil Service and ingrained in the education system.
Later on, schools in England requested the Cambridge and Oxford Universities to develop standardised tests for boys only and conducted the first examinations in 1858.
The subjects assessed were Mathematics, English, Geography, History, Latin, German, French and Politics.
Even though the idea of ranking the capability of students in the form of grades appears harsh, it is a simple way to assess a student's potential for progress towards higher education.
Moreover, it indicates the proficiency of a candidate to meet academic demands while enabling instructors to know the extent to which students have learnt from a specific subject.
Examinations implants self-discipline as a life skill. Whether you like or hate them, examinations help to elevate personal discipline levels.
This is because the time spent getting ready before the examination day makes you well prepared for real-life situations too.
This experience is a vital boost in propelling an individual towards a career path. Discipline is one ingredient that has taken people to the top as exemplified by many success stories.
Secondly, examinations cultivate the ability to keep focused under extreme pressure.
The examination period places candidates under great pressure which demands them to recall pieces of information learnt previously.
One has to be dedicated to remembering facts and meticulously applying them to the question at hand.
It is important that a candidate derives calmness during the examination, to focus all energy into answering questions correctly.
Thirdly, examinations help you acquire grades that give you a leeway for career choice. There are certain qualifications in Kenya attained only through an examination process required for specific careers.
These grades must be under your name as proof of your suitability in that faculty. Furthermore, they are the pathway to professional development without which your job prospects become constrained.
Examinations make you a good time manager. Time management is a life skill gained through an examination process.
Before the exam period, a candidate has to manage time.
When taking an examination, one needs to respond to each question with timeliness and reserve minutes for reviewing written answers.
In your career, time management skills will enable you to meet deadlines thereby making you an outstanding performer.
For now, learners will continue undertaking national examinations until the current 8-4-4 system of education is naturally phased out.
Let all stakeholders provide necessary support during this transition to ensure that no learner detours from the education trajectory.
Counselling psychologist and comments on social issues
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
