Examinations are something every individual must go through and that we must learn to cope with if we are to succeed to the best that we can - this year being no different. Students across the country are awaiting their January results and preparing for their final exams before the summer. It is these preparations that will leave many young adults dealing with high levels of stress which could potentially lead to illness, so do the benefits of exams really outweigh the negative side effects?
It is not necessarily the exams that cause the stress but it is the pressure to succeed especially for those preparing for university. Students feel they need to do excessive amounts of revision which when done correctly can prove beneficial but when done wrongly can lead to negative effects on health, such as interrupted sleeping patterns which may lower overall concentration in the classroom.
For many students it seems the necessity of working hard for an exam on one day seems harsh and a cause of unnecessary stress on youths in order to make them `successful.' Furthermore, a local student told me, “Exams have not only caused stress but have had lasting impacts on my ability to cope with stress and workload. At times it is hard to see the benefits."
However, exams have been a way of testing intelligence since the 20th century and allow young people to be given an education that fits with their ability. The education system also changes with the times to ensure an accurate and fair measurement of intelligence in all subjects. A key example of this being the Eleven Plus examination which was introduced by the 1944 Butler Education Act and abolished (in many places) for being biased to the middle classes in 1976. This form of examination is still found in some schools today as entrance exams for specific subjects.
Unlike the 11+ examination failure today does for most students not result in lasting impacts on your future career and life, instead students today are free to retake examinations and repeat courses as many times as many times as needed. This has undoubtedly reduced the amount of illness caused by exams as although there will always be stress, after the examination period health levels should recover quickly and there hopefully will not be long term.
Whether we like it or not examinations and forms of coursework look set to always be around as a way of testing ability. While there will always be changes and decisions to make the process more challenging, it is ultimately a way of preparing young adults for workload and stress which they may experience in the work place, thus proving beneficial. Either way it seems the strengths and limitations both average out and so will inevitably always be part of education.
