© Victor Ochieng’
Secondary schools are getting into the third term of the 2022 academic calendar. This means that candidates are close to doing their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE). They are going back to school for the last lap – homestretch. In actual sense, the bell has blared. Therefore, in this piece, allow the penman to point out myriad of mistakes schools make at the homestretch.
- Thinking about leakage
Some candidates make this mistake. They stop working hard. They begin relying on leakage. Some attempt to sneak phones into schools because someone somewhere lied to them that they can access success in KCSE by cutting corners.
Yet – lack of exam integrity is a mistake that can put the whole centre in a storm. It can lead to cancellation of results. In addition, when candidates choose to cheat in KCSE and scoop good grades, KUCCPS may place them in careers they do not merit to pursue.
- Search for comfort
During homestretch, teachers pile a lot of pressure on candidates. Sometimes the programmes are tedious and tiresome. Tension tightens like a rope. Candidates wake up early and sleep late. They sit for long listening to academic talks delivered by guest speakers who visit the school to share useful examination tips. There are a lot of tests and trials. The revision programme can be intensive and extensive. All these activities can invite both body and mental fatigue. Being human, candidates can seek rest.
In such instances, the grievous mistake teachers can commit is to listen to calls for comfort from candidates. In a larger sense, plenty of pressure is necessary. Even gold and diamond are products of this intense pressure.
- Creating free time
This is a mistake committed mostly by top achievers. Some swell with stupid pride. Or hubris – excess self-confidence and pride. This is when they are tempted to jettison the experience of teachers. Then, they decide to skive lessons, revision programmes, exams, academic talks, et cetera. Some of them feel that they know better. They think they are done and dusted.
Yet – some of them know very little, and the little they know they do not do it well. Teachers should not entertain such peccadillos. Candidates need strict supervision up to the last minute. Teachers’ eternal vigilance and surveillance is of essence.
- Tolerating indiscipline cases
A major mistake committed by candidates is choosing the path of indiscipline. Some of the indiscipline cases committed by candidates include: defiance of authority, disobedience, abusing drugs, wearing wrong school uniform, having unacceptable hair style, use of vulgar/obscene language, vandalising school property, boycotting classes, refusing to perform duties, theft, assault, incitement, organising or participating in strikes and sinking in sinful sexual behaviour.
In day schools, truancy/absenteeism is a big issue that dents KCSE performance. Coupling in mixed schools is a mistake that candidates commit. Sometimes, when you get to the candidate class, you may think it is a ‘couples’ seminar’. In the process, administration and teachers waste time and dissipate energy solving indiscipline cases. Instead of channeling the energy into polishing pale parts, they spend eternity in correcting aberrant behaviour among candidates who should act maturely.
- Running from exams
Peak performance requires ample practice and preparation. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes permanent. Therefore, schools prone to Best Academic Practices (BAP), run many exams. For when schools fail to run exams because it is late: How will they identify glaring gaps? How will they teach the art of exams? How will they kill fear of exams? How will they steady the nerves of candidates?
- Trivialising content mastery
After syllabus coverage, it is important to embark on thorough revision. Albeit, it is important to note that it is a mistake to focus on revision of past exam papers without putting premium on content mastery strategies. Candidates should focus on cyclic reading of notes, St. Luke Gospel (CRE) and core-course books from Form One to Four. They should engage in avid reading of KCSE set texts to avoid textual and factual errors. Reading which is (de)void of reading skills is a big mistake.
Good reading that enhances content mastery, memory and retention focuses on four useful skills: re-reading (repetition), textual marking, textual annotation, note making and use of reference materials. In addition, there are group discussion activities that enhances content mastery. They include: peer teaching, group consultation, group exams, making of marking schemes and research-based learning.
- Shoddy exam talks
School administrators and internal quality assurance should ensure that guest examiners focus on quality work. The school should invite the finest in the field to dot the I’s and cross the T’s. There is value-addition. Such academic programmes should not feature for the sake of formality, money-minting exercise or passing time. Examiners should focus on riveting revision strategies, impressive implementation of KNEC reports, sensitising candidates on grievous goofs made by the previous candidates. Guest examiners should train candidates on the art of exams which include: trends in setting and marking of exams, format of exams, skills tested, test blueprint, appropriate choice of questions, presentation skills, plotting work on paper, language of exams, exam preparation strategies et cetera.
- Succumbing to despair
The biggest mistake candidates can commit is giving up. In most cases, discouragement, disillusionment or despondency comes after a series of failure in exams and character issues. Yet – through several trials, every candidate can repair any form of despair. This justifies the essence of spiritual and pep talks staged to prop up candidates who are at the verge of giving up.
The best person to learn from is Thomas A. Edison, the American inventor-cum-investor. 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. No wonder, Winston Churchill had to say this about success and failure, “Success is moving from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm.”
The writer rolls out academic talks in schools. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
Very educated sentiment
Very much on point.We will implement.