Form Four candidates are doing the last stretch. In fact, when they crane their necks, they can see the finishing line. This part of the race is a bit sensitive. At this juncture, I equate teachers to captains. Then, I compare Form Four candidates to the ship approaching the harbour. They are about to anchor at the shore. The journey from the distant land is about to end. But a simple mishap can cause a shipwreck. Or even sink the whole ship. I hope most of us have heard of the Titanic, the Ship that sank in 1912 due to the hubris of its captains.
In the lacustrine land of Gem, where we abut on Nam Lolwe, the mother of all rivers, our pantheon of venerable elders used to say, “Yie podho ka dhi gowo”. Meaning, a ship or a dhow capsizes when it is about to dock. No wonder, when I chose to sit and write, my perspicacious mind was dissuaded from focusing on the mistakes schools make while preparing for KCSE exams. Therefore, let us delve deeper with shafts of great intellect.
- Thinking about cheating
Schools err when they stop working hard and begin preparing on how to cheat on their way to the epic peak. Exam cheats and cartels should know: a thief has forty days. The shame of cheating is uglier than poor performance. Then, Form Four candidates goof when they stop striving, but choose to think about how to access KCSE leakage percolating from some preposterous pipe. For that is what causes some of them to attempt to sneak phones into schools because some foolish futilitarians lied to them that they can access success in the final exam by cutting corners. Yet, the lack of exam integrity is a mistake that can plunge the whole centre into a storm. It can lead to either withholding or cancellation of results. We must all condemn futilitarianism, often seen as a blend of the words “futile” and “utilitarian”, a philosophical belief that human efforts or endeavours are ultimately pointless.
Additionally, when Form Four candidates choose to cheat in KCSE and scoop good grades, KUCCPS places them in courses they lack the right attitude and apt aptitude to pursue at the tertiary level. This explains the wanton wastage and high dropout rate in some courses at the tertiary level of education.
- Clamouring for the comfort
There comes a time when teachers think they have done everything in the candidate class. Yet, there is always more that can be done. Teachers should never put down their academic tools and say good riddance! We are done and dusted. We are home and dry. Everything is hunky-dory. Instead, they should still focus on polishing pale parts. Dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
Likewise, Form Four candidates goof when they prioritise comfort hence succumb to laziness, lassitude, finitude and hebetude. When there is plenty of pressure on candidates, some may clamour for comfort. Form Four Candidates wake up early and sleep late. They sit for long listening to academic talks delivered by guest speakers who visit schools to share useful examination tips. There are a lot of tests and trials. Programmes are intensive and extensive. It is a high-pressure learning environment. All these activities can invite both body and mental fatigue. Being human, Form Four candidates can lust for rest. In such instances, the grievous goof teachers can commit is to listen to the collective call for comfort from candidates. Yet, plenty of pressure is necessary. Even gold and diamonds are products of pressure. No wonder, we always say, precious things are products of pressure, not pleasure.
- Belittling steaming off sessions
In the process of preparing to sit and write KCSE exams, some schools shun steaming off sessions. Yet, yes, precious things are products of pressure, not pleasure. But we should never forget, pressure can also break pipes. As water welters with rage and courage, it can break a pipe. Therefore, the Form teachers should come up with creative and innovative ways of helping Form Four candidates to get rid of the academic pressure that piles up over time. Somewhat, the thought about exams sometimes causes tension to tighten like a rigid rope, hence causing chaos. As a peripatetic speaker who interacts with schools in over 40 counties, I must admit, steaming off sessions are necessary for Form Four candidates. As schools pile pressure on candidates to entice peak performance, it is advisable to explore stupendous strategies that can help them steady their nerves, manage or mitigate stress, overcome fear, defeat failure, surmount chilling challenges, and be in good shape, both mentally and physically.
Actually, occasional aerobic forms of exercise are very useful in this important debate about steaming off. Experts in mind-and-body-balance recommend a vast array of exercises to keep us fit like fiddles and sound like bells. Meaning, it is unhealthy for Form candidates to sit for long hours without engaging in vigorous forms of exercise that can permit them to sweat profusely, and allow blood to flow in their bodies. Neuroscientists posit that general body fatigue can cause lassitude and laziness. Then, psychologists posit that for the sake of wellness, we should allot at least 20 minutes, three times a week, to engage in physical forms of exercise that allow blood to circulate with vim and vigour. Somehow, students are teens rife with life, energy and enthusiasm. They are full of beans. No wonder, schools should explore multiple ways of helping Form Four candidates expend excess energies. In case we deny them chances to steam off, sometimes they become irrational and irritable. This is what can sometimes foment trouble and cause chaos in schools. Therefore, let us seal all loopholes for a spate of unrest, strikes and flames of fire.
- Asking for free time
Consequently, Form Four candidates miss the mark when they clamour for free time. Some swell with stupid pride. Or hubris — excess self-confidence and pride. Then, there is chutzpah — extreme self-confidence or audacity. This is when they are tempted to belittle the specialised knowledge and experience of teachers. Then, they decide to skive lessons, revision programmes, exams and academic talks and career counselling. Some of them feel that they know better. Yet, some of them know very little, and the little they know, they do not know it well. Teachers should not entertain such peccadillos. Form Four candidates need strict supervision through it all up to the last minute. Eternal vigilance and surveillance of teachers is of the essence.
- Refusing to follow rules
Moreover, a major mistake committed by Form Four candidates is choosing the path of indiscipline. Discipline is about the disciple following the line. Some of the indiscipline cases committed by Form Four candidates include: defiance of authority, disobedience, sleeping in class, refusing to sit for exams, cheating in exams, leaving blank spaces in exams, abusing drugs, wearing wrong school uniform, having unacceptable hair style, use of vulgar or obscene language, vandalising school property, boycotting classes, refusing to perform duties, theft, assault, incitement, organising or participating in strikes, sexual misconduct, organising or participating in strikes. In day schools, truancy or absenteeism is a big issue that dents KCSE performance. Coupling is a mistake that some candidates commit. In the process, administration and teachers waste a lot of time solving indiscipline cases. Instead of channelling the energy into polishing pale parts, they spend eternity correcting bad or aberrant behaviour.
- Running away from exams
Additionally, Form Four candidates make mistakes when they run away from all forms of exams served to them. For peak performance requires ample practice and preparation. Practice makes perfect. Therefore, schools prone to Best Academic Practices, run an examination system up to the eleventh hour. For when schools fail to run exams, how will they identify yawning gaps? How will they teach the art of exams? How will they kill the fear of exams? How will they steady the nerves of Form Four candidates?
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- Toying with content mastery
Again, Form Four candidates go wrong when they toy with the idea of content mastery. Somehow, it is important to focus on thorough revision. Albeit, it is important to note that it is a mistake to focus on revision of past exam papers without putting a premium on content mastery strategies. Therefore, Form Four candidates should read notes and core-course books from Form One to Four. They should read notes on the KCSE set texts to avoid textual and factual errors. Then, reading which is (de)void of reading skills is a big mistake. Good reading that enhances content mastery, memory and retention; focuses on re-reading or repetition, textual marking, textual annotation, note making and wise use of reference materials. Also, there are group discussion activities that enhance content mastery. They include: Peer teaching, group consultation, group exams, making of marking schemes and research-based learning.
- Doing shoddy work with examiners
Furthermore, schools make mistakes when they invite examiners who do not focus on quality work. Schools should only invite the finest to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Value-addition is key. Such academic programmes should not feature for the sake of formality, passing time or money-minting. Some of us have heard about ridiculous stories of teachers inviting each other into their schools to make a kill from exam talks. In such instances, due to the lure of lucre, teachers mutate into cartels who do not care about quality. Woe betide such schools.
Above all, examiners should focus on riveting revision strategies, impressive implementation of KNEC reports, sensitising candidates on grievous goofs made in exams and possible penalties. Subject experts and examiners should train Form Four candidates on the art of exams, which include: trends in setting and marking exams, exam formats, skills tested, test blueprints, appropriate choice of questions, presentation skills, plotting work on paper, language of exams, et cetera.
- Choosing to give up
Penultimately, Form Four candidates err when they choose to succumb to despair. That is giving up. In most cases, discouragement comes after a series of failures in exams. Yet, through several trials, every Form Four candidate can repair any form of despair. This justifies the palpable presence of spiritual, inspirational and motivational programmes in the school. No Form Four candidate should cry, but try. The classic case is Thomas Edison, the American inventor. After failing for 10,000 times in his attempts to invent the light bulb, he concluded: “I have not failed; I have only found 10,000 ways that will not work.” Winston Churchill also observed, “Success is moving from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm.”
- Ruling out divine help
Finally, schools that do not ask God Almighty to help them to access success in KCSE should change their stance. The wise man says in Proverbs 21:31 that a horse is prepared for war, but victory comes from the Lord. This underscores the essence of spiritual preparation, which props up academic and psychological preparations for KCSE. Based on what can work well, schools should settle on wonderful ways of praying for the candidate class to attain peak performance in KCSE. Apostle Paul of Tarsus penned in 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer rolls out academic talks in schools. For cordial consideration and invitation for Form Four academic talk on final exam-preparation tips, call or WhatsApp: 0704420232
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