To wish is to hope and to hope is to expect, however, the older we get, the more experience we get in life. We realise that things don’t always work out the way we hope they will. When sitting for national exams, students have expectations. In case you didn’t meet your hopes, understand that grades don’t define your future and there is so much more you can do. Albert Einstein said everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it’s stupid. Education Times’ Stella Sugira spoke to a few former senior six students who shared some of their expectations and hopes ahead.
My highest prospects were in literature. I was prepared for that exam. I chose to do Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar thinking I would impress the examiner because I had read it the best way I could, and I even quoted the author, only to find myself with a "C”. I was disheartened.
Kevin Castle, Graduate in History, Economics and Literature from Sonrise High School
Basing on the illness I had before doing my national examinations, and of course how complicated the exams were, the most I thought I would get was 67. Luckily enough, I didn’t wait to study at the last minute; with hard work and God’s plan, I passed excellently with 73/73. I really didn’t expect this.
Melissa Mutangana, Graduate in mathematics, physics and computer science from FAWE Girls School
I worked hard and faith is all I had during my studies. I believed I would pass the national exams and I did with the better grades than I expected. I’ve always believed that for one to get the best, they should expect the best. This pushed and motivated me to work hard; I walked the talk and met my expectations.
Emmanuel Manishimwe, Graduate in History, Economics and Geography
My expectations were low, but it turns out that working hard and sleepless nights led me to great things. 73 wasn’t what I expected at all, hard work indeed pays.
Arsene Hirwa
While I aimed for 73, I scored 64. I had to study hard, consult my teachers and visit the library. In the end, I realised that my expectations were not proportional to the effort. I didn’t put as much effort and I believe that was the reason I didn’t excel. I expected better than what I actually got.
Daphin Tona, Graduate from Maranyundo High School
I experienced a lot during my academic year. I worked under a lot of pressure in order to cover what all of my teachers had taught. I spent sleepless nights revising and had to let go of leisure time. Surprisingly, I didn’t perform as well as I thought I would, but all in all, I’m never discouraged. I hope there are better things ahead.
Gloria Muhoza, Graduate from King David Academy