He looked so confident and was so insistent on reviewing his grades for the midterm exam, that I doubted myself. I don't remember him as an A student, or even a good one, but then who knows? Maybe he has the profile of the quite personality who shines only in exams.
Since I was busy I gave him options: “How about we redo the exam? Or you do some extra assignments? Or I give you a bonus for additional part in your research?”
Holding my hand angrily, he adamantly refused all options and insisted I look at his exam at once. I apologized that day, as I was going to a lecture, and gave him an appointment the following day, which he accepted reluctantly “because he feels awful and couldn't sleep at night!”
Before our appointment, he made his rounds in the college to tell every professor he met that I was an oppressor and dictator who made a huge mistake, and wouldn't allow him a fair review. When I arrived at my office, two of my colleagues were waiting with him.
I invited all in to review his file in the E-Leaning system. Guess what? He was right. All answers were perfect. In fact, too perfect, since he copied even the headings and instructions in the text book. Of course, he was so confident: He was a copy machine!
Even then, he still argued. “I have a photographic memory!” he proudly explained. “Great! We have a super talent here! So please look again at the answers, take photographic images in your brain, close the book and write them down!” I suggested.
He tried arguing “the mode is not right!”, but finally run out of proud excuses and changed track to that of “mom's sick and she will die of a heart attack if you fail me! Her medical condition is the reason why I missed most of my classes and couldn't have the time to study or do any school work. So please help me to save her life!”
This real story, like many others, that shows how some of our students are so good at cheating and lying, so bad at studying and respecting, at least, our intelligence.
Many of you, dear readers wrote me about their own experiences, some in reputable schools and fine colleges, public and private. A number of my colleagues decided to start a task group to investigate the problem. Since we have top students who might be held down by poor achievers, we need either to separate them, or disqualify those who don't deserve to be in college.
Other discussed solutions include raising the entry bar and English requirements, as well as stricter rules and codes of ethics to be followed by both students and educators. More about this next week.
Here some of your comments on the subject.
Time Management. “I have had the good fortune to teach many good students the various benefits of proper time management and punctuality. We, as educators, have the responsibility to develop the leaders of tomorrow. The best guide is the Qur'an. Wrong practices should be strongly discouraged. The punctual student must be motivated and appreciated.
Irfan Ahmed (Faculty of Engineering, King Abdul-Aziz University)
Dishonesty
“This is an indictment on English language instructors at Preparatory Year Programs across the Kingdom. A great many of those ‘backpacker' holding dubious qualifications are recruited on 3-month business visit visas. That is cheating. Term- or year-end marks are ‘adjusted' by malfeasant directors in compliance with their Dean's requirements. That is cheating. http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm? method=home.regcon&contentid=2010102986361 is as true today as it was 2 1/2 years ago. SHAME!” Educator
Sad reality
“Students are a part of the fabric of society. We cannot expect our children to be much different from us. How we plant our seeds and tend to our gardens will determine the kind of fruit we get. Dear brother what to say, after reading your article in the early morning after prayer time? I am now all depressed. I sometimes wonder to just leave all behind and start a life of denial in a simple community far away from all the bad and close my eyes and ears to the outside world.” Ben
Inevitable morals
“Today's society relates success on how much money you make at the end of the day! (no matter how). Sometimes, it's sad to see that nepotism, favoritism and corruption are the only ways by which a person can climb up the ladder. Good morals and honesty need to be taught from home and slowly evils will disappear.” Dr. Leena
Upbringing
“It is the upbringing of a person starting from as early as a one year old that what he/she sees from his/her parents are copied until he reaches maturity.” Allan
No excuse
“It is so easy to blame our deeds on society, parents and teachers. We should remember that each one of us is going to his/her own grave where we will be questioned for our individual deeds and all the body parts will speak for the actions they were forced and ordered to do.” Maria Khan
— Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter: @kbatarfi
