Exams – why they should be scrapped

Exams have been taken as a way of closing a chunk of education. It is a symbolic closing of doors on that subject area, at least for many students. Students ‘learn’ the content and then are tested on their ability to recall facts, theories, and occasionally examples. In my view, it is a simple memory game. It boils down to who has spent the longest rehearsing verses, mnemonics, and other devices of revision and be able to recall these in a bid to please the marker on how well they can remember the powerpoint slides. After exams, the memorised fact is cast aside ready for the new chunk of information to be rehearsed for the next exam. Students remember in short term for exams but never learn to remember it for life. They know it just enough to pass the exam.