Cheating

It is saddening to know that the practice of cheating during exam is rife in SMK Methodist. I heard of shameless tales of people "partying" and paying frequent visits to the toilet - not for aromatherapy but to look for answers in textbooks hidden in the toilets. Sometimes even 4 to 6 people cram into a cubicle reading the book! (NOT to carry out forbidden fantasies, mind you!!)

It is sad that this is happening right under the teachers' noses, plain as day but rampant and unchecked. I myself went there this morning and was greeted by a flood of students asking me questions about Form 4 Sejarah. Some of my friends from other classes later told me how their classmates and themselves cheated by staying in the toilet for about half an hour, passing papers around and SMS-ing with handphones. I am saddened by the ignorance of teachers and students alike - how is it that these things escape the eyes of invigilators? Is this bribery in MES??!!

What is the motivation to cheating?
Students can crumble under too much pressure and having not enough time to study. Some just are too lazy to put any effort into studying. Some have tried without success to do it the hard way. Too much competition sometimes make top students fall into disgrace. I've been there, done that, but the end results of it all? Failure to score in SPM if it continues to be done, not to mention public humiliation at the event of being caught.

What is the purpose of exams?
It is to test students how much they know and how much needs to be done to improve. But when students cheat, they defeat the whole purpose of the examination. How would they learn if they don't study and don't give themselves a chance to make mistakes? For example in previous exams last year, I made many errors in Chemistry in relation to explaining electron arrangement so now I am more prepared to do a similar question in Paper 2.

What happens when hardworking students spend so much effort and time and then others take the short and easy way to get better marks?
I would feel so freaking discouraged. But most of the time people who cheat donn't do too well - from my experience, anyway. I used to be , regrettably, one of those who cheated last year especially for Pendidikan Moral and Biology, but now I know the consequences of it which is the suffering in Form 5 to relearn all those that I did not properly study and memorize the freaking nilais. Last year I did horribly for Biology even with a stack of hidden answers, which is a lesson to learn that cheating gets you nowhere. At least, if done ineffectively... I also copied my friend's whole Physics paper for the first monthly test and I got 95 (even higher than the friend I copied from! Hehee) and everyone thought I was really good in Physics but because I did not make any effort to memorize the formulae for motion (I still don't know it by heart because it is given in the exam papers) I suffered all throughout the year hating Physics. Now I like it because I did my part to study!!

I would much rather work hard, get good results and be so proud of myself than to do it dishonourably. It feels so much better, I would learn from any mistakes I made in the test, and it would glorify God. I am happy to be able to say that anything I get for this mid-year exam will be all the fruits of my hard labour and God's grace. And I think I did quite well so far - except for Sejarah, because I just suck at it. By God's grace I might scrape by with a B?? Xo Xo Xo

As for those of you who actively cheat in exams and are proud of it, let me advise you, as one who've seen it all - don't cheat in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Add Maths and Sejarah. They are the subjects that you MUST fail once or twice to learn really well. It's not nice to fail but in the long run it benefits you!!

By the way you can criticise me or condemn me for cheating last year but I know I was wrong and as I said I've learnt from my mistakes. (especially if you're a holy person like Reverend Ryner) I know what it's like to cheat and I know what it's like to work for your achievements - it is so much better to sit for exams not for your own glory but for God!!