Examination Day

January 27, 28, and 29, 2010






It was the examination day. I am not yet on my day to relax. I was like a radio announcer who spent too much saliva for the long hours of talking. Why? The very reason is that I have to read all the questions, guide the students in answering the questions properly and still explain what does the question tells about.

I do it for the sake of the non-reader. According to Ma’am Phine, I have to read the test questions not just because they lack in test papers but also there are students who cannot read and comprehend the questions.

In the afternoon, since there was a teacher conference; I handled the review class for Grade III pupils. It was a preparation for this coming Division Achievement Test. Most of the topics to be reviewed were those I had discussed in Grade II class. Hence, what I did was I browse on my instructional materials and discussed it for the Grade III pupils. It was a matter of going back to basic. I find it hard to discuss the topics. Even though they had already encountered these during their second grade, they still find it so confusing like identifying cause and effect, inferring and identifying the possible outcome.

While I was reviewing the class, I can not avoid reflecting on my past elementary and secondary years. We were also as busy as if we were in a beehive when Division and National Achievement Test are near. Review here and there. But sometimes, one thing I had noticed to the system before, there is always a leakage during the exam. When the examiners came to school to facilitate the said Achievement Test, we were all armed with Key to Correction which we will pass and share to other classmates. That is during my elementary years because the examination date that time was not simultaneously done for all the schools. Before the examination day, our teacher gave us the answer which they had seen when they facilitated the examination in other schools.

In my secondary years, it also happened. The examination was done simultaneously so there was a low possibility for leakage. However, the examination procedure like what subject should be the first, next and the last were not done at the same time. While the facilitators were having their lunch at the HE Building, our subject teachers (who also facilitating the exam in other schools) came to school. They gave a leakage (again) to one of the students who will be responsible to share it with the class. The results claim us to be the first in NAT.

Achievement Test is one of the assessment test being imposed to all schools to determine whether the students able to master the pre-requisite knowledge, skills and competencies for every subject area.

However, Achievement Test is not reliable. It doesn’t mean that once a school failed to get high scores in this test the teachers they are not competent.