Importance of Examination Discipline

Discipline is the basis for the whole universe. It is the process of training oneself in obedience, self control, etc. Examination is testing one’s ability on something after he must have been taught that thing. So, what is examination discipline? Examination discipline can be referred to the way examination is conducted without any form of malpractices.
Examination discipline in secondary schools is very important. Why? First of all, it brings out the best students who actually prepared well. For example, if an examination is conducted for the students, so as to get the best students to take for a competition, and there are examination malpractices, the worst students might end up beating the best students through cheating. Thereby, the school ends up losing the competition.
Secondly, examination discipline encourages students to prepare well for an examination. A popular saying goes thus; ‘fail to prepare and prepare to fail’. When students know that there will be no chance of examination indiscipline, those who do not want to fail will have to prepare. This encourages hard work amongst the students.
Also, examination discipline encourages students to be dependent on themselves. Being dependent on oneself starts from writing an examination without cheating. When students learn to write their exams themselves, they also learn to be dependent on themselves.
Contrast to examination discipline is examination indiscipline. Examination indiscipline is when students cheat and commit examination malpractices during an examination. It disadvantages are very grave.
First, it produces quack students. When student pass their final exams through cheating and get into the university, they may not be able to cope with the rigorous hard work of university which they ought to have learnt while in secondary school. They eventually end up becoming drop outs.
Also, it does not encourage the spirit of hard work. Examination indiscipline will make students believe that they can always pass their exams through cheating. But hard work is the only way one can succeed in life. This category of students ends up their lives being societal menace.
So what do we do to stop examination indiscipline and enforce examination discipline? Parents, students, the government and most especially, you and I have a stake in this.
First, the parents should train their children in such a way that the child will dread examination indiscipline. A proverb says; ‘Train up your child in the way he should go and when he grows up, he will not depart from it’. Parents should not let their children go the wrong way. They should bring up their children well.
To the government, the government should enact laws guarding against examination indiscipline. For example, according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, examination indiscipline attracts 7 years imprisonment. This law should be followed strictly without compromise. Also invigilators should be trained in such a way that they would not condole examination indiscipline.
To my fellow students, examination discipline can destroy you. The Bible says that righteousness exalts a nation. Or do you want to go the way of examination indiscipline and spend 7 years in prison? I am sure you do not want that. Please I beg you, be examination disciplined as that is the only way to success.