By Rodrick Makupe –

Someone once said when one fails an examination it doesn’t necessarily mean that a person is dull but the prevailing conditions during the time an individual was writing that exam. It is possible for a pupil who is intelligent to fail if he or she fails to conduct him or herself well during an examination. Hence, it’s important for you as a pupil, especially a grade 12, to be aware of the following;
Always know that you are the right candidate for the examination you are writing. I have heard pupils, even students in tertiary institutions, complain that they were given a wrong examination paper just because the paper came contrary to their expectation. Examiners are very much aware of your ability, and what they have prepared is according to your mental capability.
You can pass the examinations you are sitting for the way you have been passing previous exams. Your past glory pays in most cases. If you are confronted with new challenges sometimes it’s important to remind yourself on how you previously overcame similar challenges. The fact is that it is not the first time you are writing exams, it should give you a motivation that the same way you made it last time, you can make it again.
Take a minute to pray, before you start writing Exams. I have never doubted the power that is in prayer. God answers prayers, in fact He has promised that He will answer anything you will ask  as long as you ask according to His will. Go ahead and take some time to pray before you start the exams.
Write your name on the answer booklet, some pupils tend to forget writing their names on answer sheet. I have invigilated exams before, and I know sometimes pupils forget to write important details on their papers such as a name, center number, exam number, subject code and many other. It becomes the work of invigilators to remind them.
Read the instructions well and make sure you understand them. Additionally, before attempting a question make sure you know what the question is asking you. Pupils have a common weakness just because one has seen the similar question before in the past paper does not make it to be the same question. In fact, from my experience as the Teacher, I have never seen a question being asked in the exact way it was asked last time.
Develop a positive attitude towards the examinations. There are times pupils behave as if they are being forced to write exams. It’s worth noting that your performance in the final grade 12 will play a huge role in the selection of the career you will pursue. I have met people whose childhood dream to pursue certain careers have been shut due to Grade 12 results. Face your exams with a positive mindset, it’s your future.
Do not be anxious, but relax. During my final grade 12 Geography paper 2, I developed some anxiety after realising that the paper was so simple, I forgot to follow the instruction by failing to answer the four questions instead answered three. This meant that I missed 12 marks, but in the final paper I had a merit. With no doubt I could have had a distinction if I wasn’t grappled with anxiety.
Jot down some points before you begin to write especially for compositions and essays. I have encountered pupils who have told me that time is not enough in exams. Jotting points before attempting a question will enable you to avoid certain mistakes and improves your concentration once you begin writing.
Spare some time to pass through your answer after the end of the paper. This is important because it will enable you to make correction and attempt questions you could have skipped.
Do not engage yourself in any form of malpractice. I’m glad the leakage language is almost going into extinction in our academic vocabulary in Zambia especially in the Grade 12 examinations. Kudos to the Examination Council of Zambia and all players involved. The following are some of the reasons why examination malpractice should not be accommodated.
It’s morally wrong, though there is no commandment in the Bible that says “you shall not cheat in an examination”. Examination cheating is morally wrong which God and various Government institutions cannot tolerate. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labour, doing honest work with his own hands…”
Once caught, it can be detrimental to your academic future, you will be disqualified. Moreover, it is a must if you are found with a leakage, there will be legal proceedings against you.
Cheating in exams is sign of a low self-esteem, you think you are not smart enough and you can’t pass exam in the absence of an extra help. Have confidence in yourself.
You will get results that you haven’t genuinely worked for, it will happen when you will go into tertiary education that you will fail to perform. There are times students with good Grade 12 results have failed to perform well in tertiary institutions.
Agony will be spending the entire night mastering the same leakage only to find it is fake in the exam room. I think you know the consequence; very embarrassing.
You won’t be at ease in the midst of the exams, this can affect your concentration. This can ultimately lead into unnecessary pressure of trying to protect yourself from invigilators and Supervisors.
If you cheat you disadvantage your friend or other pupil, because you will get unfair advantage over other students in getting results.
You cheat and save yourself from failure but you won’t save yourself from the embracement you will encounter in future, because you cheated to reach where you are.
-For comment write to email: rodrickmakupe@yahoo.com. Facebook page: Academic and Kingdom insights with Rodrick Makupe. Contact: 0979700937/0964351029