Exams Ought to be Abolished from the Education System

Thank you for outlining your case, I too look forward to a great debate. I can understand why you feel that exams should be abolished (removed) and replaced with coursework, let's face it they are no fun unless you are doing multiple choice exams where you know you have plenty of time and there is a chance of being lucky. For exams to be abolished, exams must: a) benefit nobody. b) be a better alternative. This is what I believe anyway. Lets examine your points and enlarge your arguments R1 "Exams Exasperate Mental Health Issues" Here you are saying that exams cause stress and other problems, when actually it is people's attitude towards them. Should exams be abolished simply because people don't know how to deal with them? I think that handling stress is an important life lesson, it's a shame that teachers and parents don't help pupils enough, more can be done. Grading is what causes the stress pupils experience but only when pupils think the grades are not for their own benefit, and mistakenly think that their teachers are keeping a record of their grades in a closet. Exams should not be confused with tests. An exam is a formal test of knowledge and ability whereas a test is a short examination which cannot change your life or anything unlike an exam where your grades can allow you to study in the university of your choice, and get a higher salary. No-one worries about tests. However they do worry about exams. At what point do pupils begin to worry? Considering many leave their revision to the last couple of weeks I'd say that major exams like SAT's and G.C.S.E.s which are compulsory (and thus most stressful) do not cause mental health problems. R2 "Exams Do Not Actually Show Intelligence" I agree that exams are largely a memory test, the education system should be changed, but you'd have to be extremely lucky to only get the questions you want if you haven't learnt very much, therefore a students success rests on learning questions they might not get in an exam. Every topic is important because it is equally likely to show up (unless given hints by teachers who have seen previous papers). Let's suppose a student learns a whole new branch of maths which hasn't been taught in his lessons, this is unlikely by the way, and as a result he receives a poor grade, this grade reflects his attitude. Employers often need to employ people who listen, and do what they are told, and are willing to do things that are dull and repetitive because they are essential. Good grades show a persons quality whether or not their knowledge of subjects is needed, and the simple things taught at school often are but some aren't. If you know your stuff you have nothing to worry about so won't panic. I've had a physics paper once and failed because none of it was taught, however I like the rest of my class were given a second paper about 6 months later. So problems like you mention can be easily fixed without having to abolish exams. R3 "The Same Exam Could Have Different Marks" People have the right to have test papers remarked if they do not believe they have received the grade they should, they will know this based on the grades of their homework. R4 "Essays Are Much Better Tools of Evaluation" This is your alternative to exams. While many skills are needed for assignments as you have kindly pointed out, it is easy for students to get help from friends and family, or their home computer, and so what they write down they may not understand. An exam is a much better way to test someone's understanding of a subject. The best way to remember something and students need to remember a lot! is to experience it, or use imagination to understand it. Learning by rote is not very effective, people who choose this method will usually get low grades. Provided students pay attention, make good notes, read revision guides etc, their skill will not be lacking in any way. R5 "Cheating" I have read your source, and the figures used show the number of people who cheat in tests, not exams. It is easy to cheat in a test because you are usually beside someone who is likely to be your friend and who will make it easier for you to cheat. In an exam you will have your own desk, be situated in a more random fashion, be asked to leave your bags and coasts behind, have a lot more people monitoring you to check you are not cheating etc. To sum up Exams do not need to be scrapped because a simple solution exists to solve any problems associated with them, in the case of stress, overcoming this is beneficial. If exams were abolished it would be less important to understand a subject, and employers would have a harder time to find the right candidates. So exams then should not be abolished. I look forward to your counter arguments, thanks