No exams this year
Exactly one year ago the first Dutch person was infected with the corona-virus. The
Dutch government decided that the Netherlands had to go into a lockdown. One year
later we are still in a lockdown. Over the last year the measures have often changed,
but at the beginning of the pandemic it was decided that schools had to close.
Therefore students had online lessons for a long period of time. This had many
consequences especially for the exam candidates of that schoolyear. The
government decided that these students did not have to do their exams. It depended
on the grades that they had achieved during the year whether they got their degree
or not.
This year all students have to take their exams while we are still in a lockdown. This
is not fair compared to the situation of last year’s students. They have had more
physical lessons before the corona virus than this year’s students. This year,
students have had more online lessons than physical lessons. This affected the
students’ performances. The students from last year only had a few weeks of online
lessons and did not have to take their exams. The rate of people that passed the
exams was much higher than usual.
Because the students had to sit at home for so long and had online lessons for most
of the time during this school year, the students performed worse. They are having
trouble concentrating and are not motivated enough. Most of the students and other
young people also have mental health issues due to corona. This also affects their
performances at school. They are lagging behind. This year’s students should not
have to take their exams either and just get a corona degree.
On the other hand, the government has decided that this year’s students can have an
extra failing grade for one test, which could make it easier for them to pass their
exams. The students can focus more on their other subjects and can choose to fail
for a subject. However, this is not the best solution because most of the students are
lagging behind this year and have missed a lot of classes and information due to
lockdown and online classes.
Taking into consideration all the consequences, the best solution is that this year’s
students also get their diploma depending on the grades they have now instead of
having to take their exams. The students of today have had a much harder time and
have missed a lot of course material, which makes it likely that they will do worse in
the exams than if corona had never existed. Just give them a corona diploma and be
fair.
Exactly one year ago the first Dutch person was infected with the corona-virus. The
Dutch government decided that the Netherlands had to go into a lockdown. One year
later we are still in a lockdown. Over the last year the measures have often changed,
but at the beginning of the pandemic it was decided that schools had to close.
Therefore students had online lessons for a long period of time. This had many
consequences especially for the exam candidates of that schoolyear. The
government decided that these students did not have to do their exams. It depended
on the grades that they had achieved during the year whether they got their degree
or not.
This year all students have to take their exams while we are still in a lockdown. This
is not fair compared to the situation of last year’s students. They have had more
physical lessons before the corona virus than this year’s students. This year,
students have had more online lessons than physical lessons. This affected the
students’ performances. The students from last year only had a few weeks of online
lessons and did not have to take their exams. The rate of people that passed the
exams was much higher than usual.
Because the students had to sit at home for so long and had online lessons for most
of the time during this school year, the students performed worse. They are having
trouble concentrating and are not motivated enough. Most of the students and other
young people also have mental health issues due to corona. This also affects their
performances at school. They are lagging behind. This year’s students should not
have to take their exams either and just get a corona degree.
On the other hand, the government has decided that this year’s students can have an
extra failing grade for one test, which could make it easier for them to pass their
exams. The students can focus more on their other subjects and can choose to fail
for a subject. However, this is not the best solution because most of the students are
lagging behind this year and have missed a lot of classes and information due to
lockdown and online classes.
Taking into consideration all the consequences, the best solution is that this year’s
students also get their diploma depending on the grades they have now instead of
having to take their exams. The students of today have had a much harder time and
have missed a lot of course material, which makes it likely that they will do worse in
the exams than if corona had never existed. Just give them a corona diploma and be
fair.
