Talking points: Should the final exam be held before or after the Christmas break?
- Hate it when you can’t talk back? Well, you can with Young Post. Have your say and share with students around Hong Kong
- This week, students share whether exams should be held before or after the holidays
Nick Po, 17, Po Leung Kuk Mrs. Ma Kam Ming-Cheung Fook Sien College
Students would perform better on the final exam if it was held before Christmas break, because they’re given time at school to revise each week, so they would already be in the right mindset. What’s more, the thought of having a revision-free holiday would motivate students to study harder beforehand. Most importantly, students deserve to have a truly relaxing holiday after weeks of studying. Finishing the exam before the holidays will allow students to get in a festive mood and spend quality time with family and friends.
Jenny Chen, 17, Fung Kai No.1 Secondary School
I would prefer to sit the final exam before Christmas break. It’s very hard to enjoy the holidays when you have a stressful exam looming ahead of you. It would be better to get it over with beforehand. It’s also very hard to be motivated to revise during the holidays. Besides, those who care about the exam will definitely do their revision during term time, rather than leaving everything until the winter break. It would be better for them to sit the exam before they forget everything they’ve learned.
How to have an environmentally friendly Christmas
Kelvin Tse Chak-kwan, 15, Yuen Long Merchants Association Secondary School
The final examination should definitely be held after the Christmas holiday. The exam requires a lot of students; they must show that they’ve thoroughly memorised and understood everything they’ve been taught over the entire term. To do well, they need to do a lot of practice exercises and past papers. There isn’t enough time to prepare during term time; Christmas break is the only real opportunity to get some revision done. If the exams were held before Christmas, students would probably be too stressed to be able to do their best. It’s better to give us a chance to rest, relax, and revise before we sit such important exams.
Lee Cheuk-ling, 14, Fanling Rhenish Church Secondary School
The final exam should be held after Christmas break. If students take the exam before the break, they won’t do any revision during the holiday. Then they’ll forget most of the things they have learned, and will struggle to catch up with the curriculum after school resumes. As long as students manage their time well, they can still find time to play and have fun during the 12-day Christmas break while also preparing for their exams.
Debbie Kwok Hoi-lam,14, Pope Paul VI College
The final exam should be held before Christmas break, so that we can get in the holiday mood without stressing out about revision. Some parents ban their children from going out during the break if they know they should be studying, and this can make things unpleasant for everyone. That’s why I would rather take the exam before the Christmas holidays.
Classic Christmas films that will get you in the holiday spirit
Isaac Ching, 13, Shun Tak Fraternal Association (STFA) Tam Pak Yu College
Students are already given a lot of homework to do over the Christmas holidays. If we have to prepare for the final exam as well, it’s going to be one very stressful break. That’s why it’s better to hold the exam before the Christmas break. Imagine the feeling of finally being able to relax after working hard to well on the exam; it would make the break so much more meaningful.
Tina Li Nga-kwan,14, Pope Paul VI College
I think it should be held before the Christmas holiday. The point of a break is to let students get a good rest and celebrate the festival with their relatives and friends. If they have an exam right after the break, students will spend all their time studying won’t be able to enjoy Christmas properly. It then seems meaningless to have a Christmas break at all.
Grace Chung Zi-yue, 13, Shun Tak Fraternal Association (STFA) Tam Pak Yu College
I think that the final exam should be held before Christmas. A lot of families want to go travelling in the holidays, but if there is a final exam after the break, they can’t really go for a vacation. Students can only stay home and revise; they can’t do anything fun.
7 events that will remind you of how magical Christmas can be
Nicole Sze, 17, Fung Kai No.1 Secondary School
I think the final exam should be held after the Christmas break. The exam covers everything taught during the academic term, so would take at least a week to review all that content well enough to get a good mark. If the exam was held before Christmas, students would only be able to revise during school hours, which is totally inadequate – especially when they have assignments to finish too. Students would end up feeling stressed and nervous.
Suki Lo Suet-ching, 16, Fanling Rhenish Church Secondary School
It should be held before Christmas break. If students need to revise during the break, then it is not a break, but another form of school. We deserve some time to relax. Also, the point of an exam is to test how much and how well students have learned. It would be better for students to have their knowledge tested as soon as they’ve acquired it, rather than after a week spent away from school.