Hundreds of pupils will today begin a five-day public examination—Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)—to enable them gain admission into senior high schools strewn across the country.
While we wish them good luck in their first public examinations, we ask that they remain focused and avoid anything that could mar the integrity of their assessment.
Previous examinations have suffered such fate in different forms and it is our prayer that this year’s will be hitch-free as much as possible.
Invigilators being experienced persons, we expect that they would discharge their duties with the human face that such tests require, considering the tender ages of the candidates. We do not expect such officials to turn their attention from malpractices but only ask that where necessary kindness can be extended to the children for whom this is their first public examination.
The apprehension which goes with such novelties could sometimes lead to jittering on the part of the kids. This should be understandable and the necessary support rendered where this does not affect the integrity of the examination.
Instances of candidates denied the opportunity to use the washroom can lead to nasty scenes, as recorded last year, and affect the self-esteem of candidates afterwards.
Parents should ensure that kids take food which would not likely create worry for the candidates, given the seriousness of the exercise that they are undertaking.
Teachers and parents should prime the candidates psychologically for the examination. Much attention is not given this important factor when kids prepare for examination. Anything which has the tendency to scare candidates should be avoided. After all, the examination is a means of assessing how much they have learnt from their teachers over the years.
The kids should be encouraged to take sufficient rest when they return home after each session. The temptation to avoid sleep in the name of studying throughout the night is not a helpful routine for the kids and should be avoided.
It behoves parents to ensure that candidates are prepared sufficiently for the examination by all means. They should be, where necessary, sent to the examination venues on time. Getting to such venues late can exert avoidable stress on the candidates, the negative impact of which can only be imagined.
Let those who introduce candidates to malpractices avoid this because the practice is bad and does not contribute to the positive development of the children.
Some centres, we have learnt, have introduced first aid facilities manned by health providers: this is an important novelty for which we congratulate the brains behind them.
All that parents, teachers and other stakeholders should do to enable the kids to do their best without inhibitions is a step in the right direction.
It is instructive to note that the next level in their educational development is the senior high school—a fact which underscores the criticalness of the examination the kids are undertaking today.
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