Alsharq There have been serious efforts, using diverse methods, to evaluate the academic performance of male and female students in the Kingdom. All these methods aim to enable the students to sit their exams with minimal fear and stress. However, the level of stress among the students rises greatly when the exam season approaches. There are separate educational guidance centers for boys and girls with male and female guides in almost all of our schools. They organize training and orientation workshops for students to help them acquire capabilities and skills while preparing for exams and score excellent performance results. These programs are supposed to play an active role in enabling students to overcome their difficulties and help them learn their lessons in the best manner and face the exams fearlessly and confidently. However, the defective implementation of such programs produces adverse impacts, as far as the performance of students is concerned. This eventually leaves the students in an undesirable environment where they have little motivation and enthusiasm for learning. Therefore, it is indispensable to work out a comprehensive plan to address these concerns. There should be a separate section for organizing workshops and other programs for students in each school. A group of educators has to shoulder the responsibility of implementing programs aimed at motivating students and preparing them to face exams with full confidence and without any stress. Students should be given tips that would be helpful to them in this regard. For example, they could be told not to eat big, heavy meals just before they start learning, because it will often mean students are sleepy and will find it difficult to concentrate on their studies. Similarly, they need to avoid reading while lying down on the bed. Technology can help in keeping the students engaged and also energizing their sensory organs as well as enhancing their ability to understand and retain new concepts. There should be a focus on this aspect in training workshops. The goals of education are not limited only to achieving academic excellence, but an equal emphasis should be given to achieve excellence in acquiring behavioral skills and developing talent.
