Changing Exam Venue Scratches the Surface

Oct 15 , 2022
By Eden Sahle

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Nearly one million girls and boys left home last week to sit for national exams. They were ferried by buses and camped on campuses where they would stay for a week. The episode reminded me of when I sat for a national exam in a school other than the Lideta Catholic Cathedral, where I attended secondary school.

It is known to be a rigorous school both in academics and personal development. And I remember when we started our senior class, the intensive preparation for the national exam began. Because of the continuous assessments, we were incredibly exhausted for weeks.

Amid these intensities, the school administration informed us the national examination would take place in another venue, Menelik Secondary School, up at Arat Kilo. Our School conducted several sessions to prepare us emotionally and mentally, for, most of us were not ready to accept the change of venue. We were fully prepared for the exam, not for the shift to a new place.

On exam day, we went to our assigned school, which was pretty much different from ours. We struggled to adapt to the new situation; sitting at ease and marking our answers was very difficult. The wooden desks and chairs have broad cuts and halls everywhere; some of the desks were utterly wasted. The supervisor told us to use them as we did not have other choices. The challenges continued in the afternoon. The classrooms were dark, with no lights working.

Our principals, head of school director and parents stood at the gate for hours to ensure we were safe in an emergency. The exam went well, but we felt the exam hall was a torment. We could not avoid the dusted, poorly kept classrooms and unhygienic bathrooms printed in our memories. Our school was different. Such experiences were unimaginable at our school. During break time, all our discussions were mainly about the unsettling exam hall we experienced then.

Thinking about the current national exam candidates forced to travel miles away took me to that unpleasant experience my classmates and I had gone through.

It would undoubtedly be a terrifying moment for teenagers to go away from their parents and the school environment they are familiar with. In this crucial stage of academic life, it is disheartening to see young people go through what they may not have been prepared for. They were supposed to focus on their exams and ink what they have been labouring for years. Instead, they are seen worrying about their travelling to unfamiliar destinations that would not live up to their least expectations.

The national exam demands strong family support and encouragement, even with sufficient preparation. Sitting for the national exam is incredibly stressful.

I remember how much I needed my father's support and advice throughout the national exam. My father was there with me every step of the way to lift my confidence and charge me for the next day's exam. His undivided support helped keep my energy up while sitting for hours working on the exams.

It is apparent to most that have gone through university life in Ethiopia that our campuses are poor in food preparation and hygiene. And these students have been taken there to camp and take the national exam—the ministry's desperate method to mend the country's long-broken educational system. The Ministry of Education admitted that cheating is rampant, with a few individuals in teh system complicit. It is almost becoming impossible to check on certain authorities partaking in exam cheating.

But cheating is everywhere. It is in the hyper-neglected academic policy and the system of the country. It is common to find graduates struggling to live up to the demand of the job world.

The authorities may believe changing examination venues, and examiners could solve Ethiopia's already broken educational system. To deal with the persistent problem, experts need to work on a succession of studies and ignite hope in the sector. Quality education is the most vital tool to shape the whole nation. The country might have been far from offering dependable and quality education, but the frustrating education system will change if the right policies and skilled workforce are in place.

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PUBLISHED ON Oct 15,2022 [ VOL 23 , NO 1172]

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