Bowens: Students lack the technique needed to help pass their exams

LECTURER AT THE St Vincent Teachers’ College Osborne Bowens, believes that students have not been taught the techniques they need to help them pass their exams.

The lecturer, who was addressing fifth form students of the St Vincent Girls’ High School retreat on “Study Habits and Preparing for Exams” said that while teachers helped students reach the foot of the mountain by imparting knowledge, the students were not given the actual skills to pass their exams so that they could reach to the top.{{more}}

Bowens said that this was a grave injustice that had been perpetrated for many years in the school system, and it needed to be corrected, since persons who were better prepared scored as many as 30 points more in their exams.

The Teachers’ College lecturer pointed out that many times students did not perform well not because they did not know their work, but because of the stress and anxiety of the actual exam. He commended the staff and administration at the Girls’ High School for ensuring that the students were given the techniques needed to perform well and for organizing the retreat so that they could spend their last day at school in a relaxed setting.

Bowens pointed out that the world was becoming more competitive and having better exam results meant a better chance at entering top colleges and better opportunities in the job market.

Bowens advised the students to revise their work by using a timetable instead of “cramming” and encouraged the students to find a study pattern that was most comfortable for them.

Other speakers at the event included Tourism Planner Faylene Findlay-Scrubb who spoke on the topic, “Accepting Responsibility” and Crown Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General Saboto Caesar who delivered a talk on “Managing the Transition from Secondary to Tertiary Education.”

George Frederick, manager of British American Insurance Co Ltd. in handing over a cheque for $3,000 for a second year to principal of the school Andrea Bowman, encouraged the students to use the laws of Impression, Repetition and Association while studying.

The principal thanked Frederick and his company for the contribution and encouraged the young ladies to show their appreciation by doing well in their exams and giving back to the society when they enter the world of work.