Taking an exam? Avoid polluted air or you miss could the cut mark

Research into the human body and the many factors that affect it is fascinating. Coupled with science, research provides us with modern-day solutions to unknown issues that affect us. But sometimes research can go a little bit too far, causing immediate alarm and panic to an otherwise minor issue.

Take a gander at this. The Times reported that ongoing research shows that inhaling polluted air on exam day could lower a student’s grades.

Breathe in. The emphasis here is on could. It is not by a huge margin, but it could be up to 3.4 per cent. If you missed a first-class degree by 3.4 per cent and there was smog in the air on the days of your exams, now you have a mitigating circumstance to fall back on. Did you miss getting into a national school by 3.4 per cent or thereabouts? It could be the pollution in the air that day. Ever wondered why your class didn’t do so well that year? It was probably the air, love — the students’ cognitive performance was lower that day.

It’s all fine and dandy that we are now better informed about this piece of research, but what exactly can students do about it? It is not plausible for students to lobby those in the air and on the road spewing toxic fumes, including their very own school bus, to take annual leave during exam season to reduce the chances of affecting their grades. Invigilators and school heads will neither have the time to constantly measure and record the quality of air before students sit every paper to ensure this mitigating circumstance is covered in case anyone misses out on a big life-changing opportunity on account of the air.

Will the Kenya National Examinations Council go as far as detailing the levels of air pollution on the back of all certificates for future employers to peruse?

“Oh, I don’t know about this A student — she is qualified, but did you notice the A- student who was affected by polluted air when she sat the mathematics Paper 2? I think we should give A- the job.”

I appreciate that cleaner air is of paramount importance for our health — and now our success — but it seems a bit of a stretch to lay on another excuse that may or may not affect students on exam day. Of more importance is, did the students have all the required resources and materials to acquire the knowledge and apply it in the exam accordingly? If they did and they chose not to, then no amount of polluted air can mitigate those circumstances. It would be akin to walking into the exam room and only writing down your name and then blaming the polluted air for a bad grade.

Having said that, and bearing in mind national exams start this month, candidates, if you can help it, it would be prudent for you to use less polluted routes on your way to school. I’d even go as far as saying if you have a mask, use it. Not because your grade could be affected 3.4 per cent, but mostly for your health. It would not be ideal to have a runny nose, a congested chest and a fuzzy brain sitting a national exam.