Once considered the two best years of a student’s life, sixth form used to be a time for experimentation, participation in extracurricular activities such as Young Enterprise and engagement in voluntary work.
It was a period of personal growth and discovery, where students could balance academic responsibilities with other enriching experiences – notably the President’s Award. However, recent trends have shown a shift, primarily driven by the pressures associated with A level examinations.
According to a report published in June 2023 by the MATSEC Examinations Board, a significant transformation in the structure and timing of exams has contributed to this change. One pivotal moment came in 2012 when the September session, traditionally a revision period, was redefined as an independent examination session.
This shift led to a growing trend of students sitting for their A level and intermediate examinations for the first time in September, rather than using the time to prepare and revise comprehensively. For instance, 27% of candidates registered for the second session in 2022, were doing so for the first time.
The latest data indicates that a substantial proportion of sixth form students – between 20 and 25% – are opting to sit for A level or Intermediate exams in their first year of studies. Instead of spacing out their exams as initially intended by educational policies, students are now condensing their study periods, leading to intense pressure and stress.
On this note, there is a growing concern that taking examinations before the conclusion of the academic course could negatively impact students’ education and personal development. The pressure to perform well in these high-stakes exams has led to an environment where students are increasingly focused on academics at the expense of holistic development.
This rush to complete exams is further illustrated in the 2017 MATSEC report, where students expressed a desire to get subjects “out of the way” to avoid losing a year at university in case of failure. The fear of delaying their higher education has led students to prioritise passing tests over genuinely understanding and engaging with the material.
Consequently, the educational system, which aimed to de-stress and broaden access to further education, is now inadvertently fostering a high-stress environment that undermines its initial goals.
The educational system is now inadvertently fostering a high-stress environment- Matthew Caruana
The introduction of free exams in 2019, though well intentioned, has further exacerbated this trend. With the removal of financial barriers, students are more inclined to take exams without fully considering their preparedness. Knowing that they can retake exams at no cost, they approach these assessments with a rushed mindset, aiming to get through them as quickly as possible.
This strategy, however, often backfires. The MATSEC board has observed a troubling rise in absenteeism, with some subjects seeing a 100% increase in absentee rates – such as sociology, which climbed from 8.6% to 20.5%, and Spanish, from 9.1% to 18.2%. The number of A level no-shows in the September session has also surged, increasing from 8.2% in 2017 to 22.2% in 2022.
This pattern suggests that the system’s structure, rather than alleviating student stress, may be contributing to students’ feelings of defeat, leading them to forgo exams altogether.
Perhaps, the current structure encourages students to rush through their curriculums, focusing on short-term memorisation rather than building long-term capabilities and knowledge. This approach not only affects their academic performance but also limits their personal growth and readiness for future challenges.
The formative post-secondary years, once anticipated as a period of exploration and personal growth, can often fall short of being a wholesome experience for many students. The immense pressures to secure the grades necessary for university admission or simply to advance to the second year of sixth form can be overwhelming.
Rather than taking the summer to relax and engage in extracurricular activities, students find themselves in a relentless cycle of studying and examinations.
We must ask ourselves whether our education system, with its emphasis on competition and cramming, truly serves the best interests of our students.
Are we fostering well-rounded individuals prepared for the future or are we reducing them to mere numbers on an academic scale?
It is imperative to shift our focus towards ensuring that students are not just academically competent but also capable, confident and character-driven individuals. Only by making these changes can we hope to provide a more balanced, enriching and wholesome educational experience for our youth, truly preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Matthew Caruana is CEO of JA Malta Foundation.
JA Malta Foundation is an NGO dedicated to empowering young people by providing them with educational programmes focused on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness.