Online Reporter
Ronald Takudzwa Sambona
Correspondent
THERE is a saying that it is dangerous to live even one day.
That thought reminds me of the fear and finality with which many learners approach examinations.
For too long, learners have been conditioned to see exams as terrifying obstacles, fed lies that obscure the truth behind them.
Yes, exam questions may feel poisoned, but hidden within each one lies beauty — the chance to sharpen your mind, to grow, and to become the remarkable learner you are meant to be.
One truth I want every learner to hold onto is this: exams are not decisive, and failure is never fatal.
What is fatal is surrendering to fear before you even try.
More dangerous still is believing that failure in any exam marks the end of your life.
We all desire a quality education, perhaps even to graduate magna cum laude.
But so what if you stumble, fail once, or fail again?
Each setback is simply a step in the larger journey of learning. What matters most is not perfection, but persistence—the courage to rise after falling, and to keep moving forward.
But if you keep on working hard, you will fail a bit, and a bit less than last time.
It is only through failure that success gains its flavour, says one wise man.
So, don’t accommodate fear in your exams.
Face every exam as an opportunity to learn, grow, and prove your resilience.
Keep striving, believing in yourself, and taking each step forward with confidence.
I understand that an exam date is not just another day out of your many school days, but that this day, particularly the exam day, is important.
That is why you and I fear.
For most learners, this is where all the chips fall – you either hit or miss.
Like a general in war, you just can’t afford to be in the middle ground – you either win or lose.
On the surface, it looks that way, but deep down there is a lot more to the whole picture.
Education is not just meant to test you on paper and leave you alone, but it is actually meant to really test you to your limits.
How will you adapt when the ride gets bumpy or when you encounter an unexpected detour?
The problem arises when learners view exams from the surface level. It is only a deeper reflection by learners that will allow them to grow through even failure and rise despite any academic setbacks.
No mission is impossible until one drops dead, says Mr Nyangu, who is a passionate educational advocate who inspires me daily.
No exam is decisive unless you let it be decisive!
You may feel disadvantaged and different already, before the real test has even begun.
Some learners go to school well prepared with everything of everything – more pocket money than you will ever be given through your entire educational lifetime, accompanied by private chauffeurs, and yet you stand a chance of becoming someone great through education.
The struggle is too real, even for me, not to make it.
I remember a time in high school when I needed money, I needed fancy uniforms, I needed a laptop for my studies, and I needed foodstuffs to fill my trunk. And what I had was a book, a pen, a dream, and a supportive mom.
Whatever you think you need, you don’t need.
What you need is the strength to open your books, the wisdom to choose your pen, the courage to dream, and the discernment to love and listen to those who truly support you, daily.
Because ultimately, at the end of the day, education is more about rewriting your life with every choice you make and every situation you endure than it is about exams and failure.
It is only you who holds the power over your life, not your educational outcome!
Yes, education is important, but only to the extent to which you allow it to be.
One bad exam and a failing mark does not have to destroy your life.
Failure and lack can spark courage, resilience, hunger, and new hope in you in a way that success and money can never do.
So always remember this when you fail in life and in your education: Life ultimately begins when we finally believe we have been through it all. There’s no finality in life, until death!
Thank you!
I rest my case.
