Dear Editor,
We all know that writing an examination requires tremendous focus, and mental and emotional stability. However, our nervousness will at most times prevail, leaving candidates already anxious. So it is imperative that those who are around these candidates have an understanding of their needs.
This, however, is not always the case. As a candidate currently writing these examinations, I share with you first-hand experiences. There are cases where an invigilator’s phone goes off in the examination room, and astonishingly, they have the audacity to answer it. Then there are those invigilators who have no regard for time. If an exam is due to start at 9am, then they should start it at 9am. There is a half hour threshold for late candidates to be allowed into the examination room, so there is no need to hold the entire examination back for a few candidates.
I arrived late for my last exam owing to unforeseen circumstances and my nervousness was amplified given that now I had less time to complete the exam. I expected to be simply allowed into the room so that I could start my examination as soon as possible. However, the invigilator approached me in a hostile manner. She gave me a good scolding about arriving late, without asking me why I was late, and then threatened to put me out of the exam room, lock the door, and take me to my headmistress amongst other unnecessary things.
Now, according to the Notes For Guidance To Candidates set out by CXC, under section two for ‘Late Arrivals’, it states that “Candidates who arrive late may be admitted during the first 30 minutes of an examination session. Candidates who arrive after the first 30 minutes will not be admitted to the examination”. I did not arrive more than 30 minutes after the start of the exam session.
The invigilator’s behaviour was inexcusable, but I am not the only candidate to suffer from this kind of incompetence. I recommend that at invigilators’ forums they are reminded that candidates have paid for their examinations and deserve to be treated with respect. They should be reminded that candidates are under tremendous pressure as it is, and they are in no position to scold or criticize a candidate, because it will simply make him/her more nervous and could affect their performance. I only wish that we could have reliable examinations for all candidates.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
