The Examination Hall – Modus operandi?

Remember I already spoke of the intimidating nature of the examination hall? Well, the presence of invigilators adds to the ‘misery’ of students.

However, some students overcome their fear and write their papers in peace – positively – or negatively.

Positively because, they take their time to read over instructions and questions carefully, understand what is required of them, and confidently answer the questions being posed.

The negative factor is when some students try (and often succeed) outwitting invigilators – by cheating.

A critical point to note here is that all sin is sin, no matter the gravity assigned to it by society.

What therefore is the modus operandi (mode of operation) of such deviants in the examination hall? These include, but not limited to:

•  The bringing of foreign materials into the examination hall. They prepare ‘small notes’ (a.k.a ‘ginger’) on pieces of papers, handkerchiefs, pencil erasers, their skin (thighs, palms), calculators. I wonder why an individual would spend hours preparing such notes and not learn. It’s silly.
•  The holding of scripts at angles that permit friends to steal glances and copy from them
•  The hiding of notes in washrooms and visiting them under the pretence of going to urinate
•  The swapping of question sheets on which answers have been written
• Whispering to one another
• The soliciting of help from invigilators : asking for the spelling of a word, seeking the explanation of a question et cetera

Other means are employed by such ‘cheating’ students who have no shame.

I personally believe that appealing to the conscience of individuals is one way to go about this problem other than the vindictive and forceful approach that is being applied.

Authorities should bear in mind that, if you treat an individual as a child, he/she behaves and thinks like one. Respect students and you are sure to get it back. 

The Examination Hall – Distractions

Pens communicate with paper vigorously as students write answers to the questions that have been posed by their instructors. Some frantically chew on their pen covers/tops, others fidget ceaselessly. Some stare into the ceiling and some still look for opportunities to have a glance at what their supposed ‘Messiahs’ – sitting by them – have written.

The tension in the examination hall is very great.

Amidst all these, there are other factors at play that make it difficult for the student to fully concentrate. These factors include (but not limited to):

-          Intermittent announcement of the time left on the clock by invigilators

•           A lady’s beads/thong provocatively signaling one’s eyes for attention (applies to guys)
•           The thighs of a lady shooting out of her skimpy skirt
•           Invigilators dragging their feet as they move about (not forgetting the noise made by their shoes)
•           Some students whistling for attention from friends
•           Sometimes, some students (girls especially) are distracted by the dresses, hairstyles, nail polishes being worn by their friends
•           Some students ‘admire’ or even ‘have crushes’ on some invigilators and therefore spend quite an amount of time watching them as they move about the examination hall.

As can be rightly observed, distractions during examinations are essential to the study of human behaviour and how effective people are, under pressure.

The Examination Hall – Setting

So you have been able to learn all you are supposed to before taking the examination. At certain times in your studies, you even doubt your notes and have to confer with friends. It is a normal feeling. You wonder if really what you are studying is even relevant or not. Your adrenaline level fluctuates.

Then it is time to take the examination. Good Heavens! You suddenly turn to God for strength, and prayer becomes the order of the day. If you don’t know how to pray, the sign of the cross is enough. I can only imagine God sitting calmly on His throne and smiling at us – earthlings!

You enter the examination hall and the arrangement is intimidating, not forgetting the thorough search you are subjected to. The desks are three feet apart on all sides. You see invigilators with bloodshot eyes; with hawk-like demeanours, ready to pounce on any chick (student) who goes astray – by not following orders, and more importantly -- cheating. Of course you can’t blame them, when some students, no matter what, are hell-bent on cheating – even if the examination demands them writing the 25 alphabets of the English Language! Absurd!

In our day, we had our index numbers already placed on the desks and so you had to walk to yours quietly and sit down. You and your course mates occupied one entire row. The next row was occupied by another class, and so a row sits in-between you and your mates.  You are not even allowed to rotate your neck to an angle of 45 degrees!

You enter the hall sometimes and you feel like a condemned soul who’s just there to redeem him/herself from bondage.

You get seated and the examinations begin in earnest.

Good luck to us all!