Dealing with pregnant examination candidates
Pregnant candidates are gradually becoming a regular feature of our examinations.
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The Shama District in the Western Region was the focus of a pregnancy case in this year's Basic Examination. A student was not allowed to write some of the core papers on the first day because she was pregnant. That was how the media presented the issue, creating the impression that pregnancy disqualifies a candidate from writing her examinations.
This is not the first time such an issue has occurred; the last few academic years have seen pregnant teenagers, some with visibly advanced pregnancies, writing their examination without any hassle from school authorities. Clearly, the issues involved in allowing a pregnant candidate to write her examination are academic, not merely moral and/or humanitarian, as some in our communities attempt to project them.
To rectify the Shama situation, the district director of education has intervened and instructed that the girl be allowed to write the subsequent papers. However, the issue is not as simple as that, and the director ought to be the first to know that.
Starting on the premise that candidates are tested on cumulative information imparted to them, over a prescribed period, through structured theoretical and practical approaches, authenticated by periodic assessment and cumulative marks scored, a candidate's qualification for a particular examination would be based upon he or she satisfying, at least, certain minimum requirements of the conditions stated above.
Learning requirements
Of course, satisfying teaching/learning requirements is a shared responsibility between teachers/school authorities, children/parents and their respective communities. Any humanitarian gesture regarding examination in such situations as the Shama one must be pragmatically balanced by the fulfilment of pre-examination teaching/learning conditions. Consequently, if the director's decision was weighed academically, would it stand?
Already, information has it that the girl in question did not attend school for five months, despite efforts by school authorities, apparently, due to shyness. So how much has this candidate learnt and how prepared is she for this examination?
Can she really cope? Even though she would write, and even if a supplementary examination was organised for her to cover the ones she missed on the first day, could she, parents, the school and the district really look forward to an appreciable result? Is the inclusion of this candidate in the examination justified?
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Humanitarian gesture
One can appreciate the humanitarian gesture of the director, considering the cost incurred by parents and the nation's investment in this child. However, benevolence is not the solution here. In fact, the gesture will precipitate a number of disasters, the most obvious of which is the high probability of the candidate's failure. The gesture encourages the learner's irresponsibility. Pupils are not penalised by truancy; wilful protracted absenteeism is accommodated by school authorities.
The discipline inculcated through regulated school attendance, diligent studies has been painfully compromised. Above all, the fundamental natural rule of choices and consequences has not been enforced. How is this girl being helped to make the right choices in life? She has already made one abysmal choice. Will she learn from her mistake?
Discipline
Sometimes, enforcing discipline is the kindest gesture, the stimulant for logic, responsibility and objectivity in an individual. If the youth would grow and become human assets and not social liabilities, society must guide them through care, attention and gentle correction. Effective discipline is a necessary part of human nurturing.
Teaching children to respect rules by obeying them is a disciplinary path that must be followed, especially by parents and stakeholders of education. The gesture of the director to me is misplaced kindness, though I can understand his reason.
Teach, correct and discipline children by allowing some consequences of wilful disobedience. Sometimes, lessons learned the hard way yield mature and responsible individuals; the joy of every parent, teacher, friend and neighbour.
The writer is a lecturer, Takoradi Polytechnic.
Writer’s email : sad426 @hotmail.com