Exams timetabled to accommodate Ramadan.

Original post by Skip_Snip

Why should the majority have to piss around because a few people are stupid enough to not eat for extended periods of time?

It's not a few people, it's above 5% of the population and probably higher in this age group. If no consideration was given it's likely this maybe 7-8% would get lower grades than their abilty deserves, and therfore the rest slightly higher: this has a negative effect on the ability of universities and employers to sucessfully identify the most able candidates and therefore has a negative impact on society as a whole if we end up with a lower correlation between academic and ability and uni places or between ability and success in getting jobs. No major changes have been made, just minor moves such as putting the biggest exams earlier in the season and trying to have more in the morning than afternoons once fasting begins (the likes of which happen every year anyway) to mostly mitigate the impact.

Reply 42

Wolfram Alpha

20

I think ignorance is far more dangerous than Islam!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 43

mechanicsonejune

Original post by Saoirse:3

It's not a few people, it's above 5% of the population and probably higher in this age group. If no consideration was given it's likely this maybe 7-8% would get lower grades than their abilty deserves, and therfore the rest slightly higher: this has a negative effect on the ability of universities and employers to sucessfully identify the most able candidates and therefore has a negative impact on society as a whole if we end up with a lower correlation between academic and ability and uni places or between ability and success in getting jobs. No major changes have been made, just minor moves such as putting the biggest exams earlier in the season and trying to have more in the morning than afternoons once fasting begins (the likes of which happen every year anyway) to mostly mitigate the impact.

It's a shame we're a western society and spending a month not eating is frowned upon for the exact reason of you losing all your productivity.

Reply 44

midgemeister7

17

The specific dates of my exams will have no effect on me whatsoever, so why shouldn't the exam boards try to be lenient towards the large number of muslims who can't even drink during the day during Ramadan, for example?

Reply 45

TimmonaPortella

21

Seems fair enough to me. They're just trying to make it fair for all candidates.

Reply 46

Original post by mechanicsonejune

It's a shame we're a western society and spending a month not eating is frowned upon for the exact reason of you losing all your productivity.

We have to remember that as adults a lot of Muslims do try their best to bend their religion around practicalities of western life, and most religious figures are fairly tolerant of this. However, we're talking mainly about people here who are for all intents and purposes children, still living at home with their families. They likely have little real choice in whether to fast or not - is it right to punish them for the rest of their lives because of a religious choice imposed by their parents? Of course not. I'm not suggesting we re-do the entire exam system around it or anything, but making small, practical changes (as an employer may well if 8% of his workforce was fasting) makes sense.

Reply 47

z33

21

Original post by EastGuava

Not that I want to, but I fast(ish) :frown:

so this is good for me as well I suppose, although it's not going to make a big difference- most exams will probably still clash with Ramadan. If my exams are earlier, that's just worse imo.

yeah you wont be used to it :/

Reply 48

alldayniqqa

11

Lmao muslims didn't ask for this.

I would've happily fasted on the days i had exams or missed some days i had exams...

Reply 49

TheArtofProtest

What were your exams dates before this accommodation was made?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 50

alldayniqqa

11

Wait exams are earlier now wtf ?

Reply 51

This is one way of trying to support those who decide to eventually leave the religion, as is their choice. Imagine you had been born into a conservative Muslim family. You did not have any financial independence and were sent to school without money. Your family fasted and expected you to as well. Secretly you didn't believe in God at all and thought the whole religion was a load of nonsense, but you knew that even if you did drink water during the day before your exam it would quite possibly be noticed by someone else in the community and get back to your furious parents. As a result you have little choice but to fast, and because no timetable changes have been made you sit both your maths and english exams on very hot June afternoons having not had a drink or anything to eat since 4AM the previous night and having already sat other papers in the morning. You achieve D grades in both.

After leaving home you decide to stop practicing Islam and fasting. However, the fact you have to re-sit these papers delays your education and employment, you are less likely to ever achieve top grades even in re-takes and employers can see you initially failed. As a result of this, you miss out on your dream job. You are effectively being punished for the faith of your parents - that isn't right, especially when it wasn't even your decision in the first place.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 52

mechanicsonejune

Original post by TheArtofProtest

What were your exams dates before this accommodation was made?

Later, more spread out, and I'd have an extra month to do them in. I've just had a month of exam time and revision time taken off me no good reason.

Reply 53

TheArtofProtest

Because the demographics are changing and instead of remaining a sad and bitter person, it is better, for your mental health, to embrace it?

Our efficiency? Please, we are not being efficient, we are being exploited by the capitalist machine, sucking the wealth of millions to the coffers of a few.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 54

And how do you do that, in practice? I agree entirely that it's wrong to force a child to fast but I assure you it happens and there's no easy solution.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 55

username402722

It may mean that exams are over before the main period for hayfever.

Reply 56

TheArtofProtest

Original post by mechanicsonejune

Later, more spread out, and I'd have an extra month to do them in. I've just had a month of exam time and revision time taken off me no good reason.

Could you give me specific dates as to how it has adversely affected you?

e.g: Maths was supposed to take place on the 23rd June but it's now being pushed to the 27th May.

Reply 57

XxKingSniprxX

21

Original post by Mihael_Keehl

for worse or better?

Exams over a long period?

Does that mean there will be new published official timetable dates for summer exams or?

Reply 58

mechanicsonejune