Headline, October 09 2025/ ''' SCHOOL EXAMS'S SCALES* '''

''' SCHOOL EXAMS'S

 SCALES* '''

EXAMS DON'T MEASURE LEARNING - THEY KILL IT. The future of learning lies not in the stress of competition, but in a child-centered approach that aligns natural curiosity and the proven power of learning through play.

A school is supposed to be a place of nurturing care and compassion; where diversity in pace and interests is celebrated. Learning difficulties, when they arise, should be addressed gently and without attaching any stigma.

The child-centric objective can only be realised when teaching aligns with students interests' and aspirations. This objective is impossible under a regime of standardised curricula,  stressful competition and a narrow definition of success based on exam performance.

Today, teaching objectives have shifted from children's interests to worshipping the demi-gods of the educational system : curriculum, syllabus, exams, grades and ranking.

In their devotion, teachers can lose sight of their nurturing roles, harming the experience of happy schooling and childhood itself.

A MISGUIDED ASSEMBLY LINE : Compounding the issue for children is the anxiety and drudgery of exams, which can strip meaning from what is taught - and learned - in the classroom. Schools follow a standardised programme of studies [ curriculum ], with little room for variation.

Regardless of the differing aptitudes of children, each child is expected to meet the objectives of this standardised curriculum.

Their performances are then measured against the arbitrary milestones set for in exams - at the end of the academic year and, sometimes, even during it - and against the arbitrary milestones set by the curriculum.

This evaluation serves as the primary - if not  sole - metric for academic progress of children and the accountability of teachers.

This archaic and impersonal form of evaluation ignores critical questions. Has the school infused joy and depth into learning ? Have children enjoyed the process enough to be eager for more?

Have they understood and internalised what they were taught, in order to apply that knowledge?

Or have they simply learnt how to answer a set series of questions, with little or no understanding of their relevance? Such a system does not promote critical thinking; it stifles it.

Give these downsides - the arbitrary judgement, stress and anti-measuring nurturing nature that impedes growth - why are exams so ubiquitous in the developing world schooling system?

THE MYTH OF MOTIVATION : Advocates say that exams, such as mid-terms and finals, challenge and motivate students. This claim isn't supported by any definitive data. Nor does this argument stand to reason.

The experience of caring and well-trained teachers also contradicts this claim. Yet, educators and policymakers - as if wearing blinkers - cling to this untested and unverified assumption as gospel.

Children are motivated to study - and more importantly, learn, think, create and enjoy - if the curriculum and method of teaching align with their interests. 

For example, young children show little interest in abstract math or political sermons.  Important as it is to know about political heroes and national icons, this can come at a later stage, when children are older.

At a younger age, they may not be able to relate to these topics, let alone enjoy and internalise them.

Instead, they thrive when learning revolves around animals, fiction and play - themes through which language, numerical skills and expression develop naturally.

A school-sponsored pet club, talking about the various animals, reading and writing about them, are generally considered activities that interest many young children.

Dinosaurs tend to be another favorite subject of many of today's younger children, as is Harry Potter. This may sound like a cliche, but it is true - and most teachers know it - that children learn most through fun and play.

The Honour and Serving of the Latest Global Operational Research and Thinking on Education, continues. The World Students Society thanks Sami Mustafa.

With most respectful dedication to the Global Founder Framers of The World Students Society - the exclusive and eternal ownership of every student in the world - and then Parents, Students, Professors and Teachers of the world.

See You all prepare for Global '' Democracy Constitutional Convention '' on !WOW! - for every subject in the world - : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter X !E-WOW! - The Ecosystem 2011 :

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - The Voice Of The Voiceless