In today’s world, it’s very clear that working smart pays off more than just working hard. So, when it comes to students, could they do better if the rules weren’t so strict? Is the traditional exam method still effective? With how far technology has come, can we rethink the system so that even if students have access to their phones or the internet during exams, it wouldn’t make a difference? These are the questions we should be asking if we want education to really prepare us for the future.
As a fourth-year university student, I’ll be honest—I usually wait until about a week before exams to start studying. It is in those last few days, I cram as much as possible, walk into the exam hall, and somehow manage to pass. Sometimes, I even score really well, and achieve distinctions in most of my courses. But has this method actually helped me learn? Not at all. A few months after the exam, I can barely remember anything I studied. I sat for an exam in May, and now in October, I can hardly recall what I read. This is the reality for a lot of students.
The traditional way of writing exams doesn’t seem to make us smarter or help us retain the knowledge we need. I study agriculture, and I can tell you that the practicals we do on the farm are far more useful than cramming theory from a textbook or even a PDF. Practical learning sticks with you because it’s something you’ve done and can use later. But in Nigeria, many students are stuck in the cycle of “la cram, la pour”—cram, pour it out in the exam, then forget it all. When the same questions come up again, we’re left scrambling and unable to answer.
It doesn’t actually help that some lecturers don’t make the learning process any better either. I once had a lecturer who just reads straight from his book for about an hour, then sends us the notes as files and tells us to study them. No explanations, no engagement. Unsurprisingly, his course was the one we failed the most last semester.
Over time, I’ve learned that nothing beats a teacher who explains things clearly and in a more relatable way, maybe by even throwing in a joke or two or talking from life experiences. It usually makes a huge difference when learning feels less like a chore and more like something we can enjoy.
The thing is, no matter how strict the exams are, students will still find ways to cheat. I have sat down for several exams where students sneak in their phones or find other ways get around the rules,and they rarely get caught. So what’s the point of strict exams if they’re not really testing what we know or how well we can apply it?
I belisve exams should prepare us for life after school, not just test our ability to memorize facts. These days, when you’re applying for a job, it’s the person who’s smart and knows how to use what they’ve learned that gets hired, not necessarily the students with the highest grades. In the workplace, what really matters are practical knowledge, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
From what i have said , i think we can improve this system by :
More Practical Learning: Let’s focus more on hands-on experiences. For someone like me, working on the farm teaches me way more than sitting in a classroom. We actually need more practical learning across all fields of study.
Use of Technology in Exams: Instead of banning phones or the internet, why not design exams that actually test how well we can think and solve problems, even with the access to information? You know being resourceful is a skill in itself.
Better Teacher Training: Teachers should be trained to engage students better. Those ones who just read notes and don’t interact with the students aren’t helping anyone. I feel a good teacher should know how to break down complex ideas and make learning enjoyable , fun and less stressful for the students.
Lastly, asking more of questions physically than students having to sit for an exam I particularly feel if schools can adopt a system whereby after maybe every class each students would be thrown questions to answer by the teachers in class and should be graded based on their level of reasoning and explanation. By this way we wont have to be cramming everything last minute and pouring it in their exam booklets. Moreover, someone who crams wouldn’t even be able to explain better.
At the end of the day, I believe the goal of education should be more than just passing exams. It should prepare us for real life, where we can apply what we’ve learned. We seriously need an education system that values smart and practical learning over memorization and strict rules and i feel it is time for us to rethink how we approach education, especially in a world that rewards those who know how to work smart.
images are from Meta Ai
