Disadvantages of examination- oriented education - Essay Example

This raises concern that the focus on examinations in the education system may be defeating the very purpose of education. Disadvantages of Examination-Oriented Education The most-often faced criticism of an education-oriented system is that the examinations become the focal point of all the educational activities that a student goes through instead of merely being the means to an end. This focus on students’ performance in examinations has consequences on the curricula and the manner in which the curricula are taught to the children.

The curricula in examination oriented education systems has become very rigid and based on a set of text books that become the Bible for the students. (1). The emphasis is more on imbibing this by the student by heart rather than understanding the subject matter. It will not be surprising that typo errors convert a chemistry textbook into a physics textbook and the physics examination taken by the student is actually a chemistry examination. Things have come to such a pass that neither the educational education, nor the teacher, nor the student would notice it, for the concentration will be on the marks received on the paper.

This situation gets even more aggravated, when the education administrators develop the content of the textbooks that are beyond the grasping ability of the average student and the teachers follow a uniform teaching approach. Interest in studies is lost, motivation to learn is absent and many students end up being labeled as low achievers owing to the poor marks they receive in their examination (1). The list of other demerits if attempted to explain like this could run into pages. In brief the disadvantages of examination oriented systems include the negative influence it has on the teaching of certain subjects and topics, on teaching and learning and attitudes of teachers, parents and students; and the neglect of more dynamic instructional methods.

It leads to selective study habits in students and the possible development of undesirable attitudes of amassing certificates through any means. This attitude also gets transferred to some parents. It offers the possibility of malpractices by students and teachers and others through copying and the leakage of pre-set question papers, and the like. Examinations test only the cognitive abilities of children, and ignore the affective and psychomotor domains of students. Students face stereo-typed questions allowing them to be selective in the study of topics in a subject to attain the level of marks desired.

Higher objectives of education in the form of application, synthesis and analysis are ignored through the use of examinations and the sole deciding criterion of knowledge and skills attainment levels. Scoring low in examinations carries with the possibility of being looked down upon in peer groups and in student and other social circles. (2). Possible Solutions There are only two possible solutions. The first is to do away with evaluation process in education, through which the examination system has crept.

Leave it to the students to attain their desired level of competencies in subjects of their choice, based on what they intend to with their lives after their formal education. Teachers, parents and friends can act as counselors and motivational mentors in this exercise. In case they find them short of knowledge