By Dickson Tumuramye
This is a month when our children will sit for end-of-term exams in primary and secondary schools. This is also happening in some higher learning institutions that are doing their end-of-semester examinations this month.
Every examination season causes phobias for some students, and this is not necessarily because they are not prepared for them. Phobia comes from many factors. These can include high parent expectations of a child’s performance, an inability to concentrate, difficulty settling into a school or class, harassment by teachers, a fear of certain subjects, and paying too much attention to examination results. Some children are academically dull and lack the confidence to excel in academics. Others fear because they did not perform up to their expectations in the last exams, and they are not sure how it will be this term or semester. In the past, others have experienced sickness during exams, and some have not been able to complete their fees on time.
Some children who develop exam phobia towards or during the examination period can develop illnesses, such as headaches, loss of appetite, anxiety and stress, and diarrhea. Some experience vomiting, nausea, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, an abnormal heartbeat, etc. Different symptoms may happen to your child depending on the conditions they experience at school and at home.
Whether your child experiences examination phobia or not, adequate preparation is essential. Children and schools are not the only ones responsible for such preparations; parents also have a responsibility. It is helpful for your child to know that the school does not demand any school requirements from him or her. If you have not yet finished paying school fees by now, talk to the administration so that your child will not be sent home or stopped from doing exams. This causes shame and fear among children and affects them emotionally. As a member of the university staff, I have seen students chased out in the middle of an examination, and this can disorganize them for the rest of the papers.
If your children are day scholars, ensure they revise at home. It is imperative that they are monitored during their preparations. Some children are left to read on their own and choose to do other things even when they know they have exams or assignments. Others can play instead of reading. Take time to check if they have class notes in their books. Give them some work to test their readiness. This could be a Q&A session on what they studied.
Create a conducive atmosphere for them to read and pass. You can also get a teacher to coach them in particular subjects where they are weak.
If they are in a boarding section, don’t miss any remaining visiting days and have time to talk about many things, including their readiness for exams. You can measure their preparation, talk to their teachers, check their last tests and midterm exams, see how they performed in each subject, and give suggestions on how to improve the ones they didn’t succeed in. You can ask the ones at the higher institutions of learning to show you their results for course work and tests and ensure they don’t have retakes or that you know about it.
If a child shows symptoms of fear or phobia, it is normal, but you should still encourage them. Some people also fear failure, but your positive talk and letting them know that this is also part of life makes wonders for them.
Learners are already under a lot of pressure and anxiety, but see how to help your child be steady and concentrate well for exams. Some children have some regular ailments toward exams and need your help. I hope your school knows about it. You may need to do a medical check-up before the exam or work on what triggers the sickness in advance. Keep in touch with the class teacher, matron, or school nurse to receive updates on how the child is progressing. Some children may need enough pocket money, especially those with problems with the daily school menu (posho and beans). Possibly you can be in touch with the school canteen during this season to ensure that your child is eating well since he or she uses a lot of energy as they read for exams.
Remind them to always take time to read and understand the instructions on the examination paper. They should never take examination regulations for granted. Please know that every word of appreciation, encouragement, and inspiration you give to your child, regardless of the class, level, or age, can never leave them the same.
