After seven months of closure, the government gave the green light for schools to reopen with the condition to maintain Covid-19 preventive measures.

Academic activities were halted on March 14 after the first recorded case of Covid-19 in Rwanda, and most of them closed as they were about to start first term exams.

Most schools have resumed with exams. So, what are the useful techniques students should use to revise for exams after all this time, and what do those techniques entail?

New York Times science reporter Benedict Carey, argues in his book ‘How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where and Why it Happens’ that most students don’t need to study more in order to do better in exams, merely to study smarter.

Here are six tips from different experts, scholars and educators on how to revise smartly for exams. 

Drafting

As the French proverb says, "Dan les mains aux cerveaux”, loosely translated as "from hands to the brain”, all information passes through the hands to get to the brain.

Elvin Habumugisha, a medical student at the University of Rwanda, says that this is a sign that a student needs to always note down information as a better way to memorise.

"Memorising by repetition is a bit tricky, and has less concentration, but when you are writing, something stays in the mind for sure,” he says.

He adds that for subjects like mathematics, you need to make calculations and do exercises, but for informational subjects that require memorisation, you also need to note down what you want to memorise.

Short breaks

Normally, long study time leaves students exhausted, that’s why they need to take breaks when revising the information they have acquired.

Understand

The biggest problem with many students when studying, mostly for exam purposes, is that they use limited time, hence, not allowing them to understand what they are learning.

According to Annet Mugabekazi, a communications student, this is merely ‘getting done with things’, with no productivity at all.  She counsels to always study to understand, not for exams.

Do not only rely solely on notes, but books too

Mugabekazi adds that it is of essence to visit the library at school or online libraries to get more information.

"Some students think that they will only be examined on what they covered in class, which is irrelevant to this competency-based curriculum,” she notes.

"They should read books and get more information to have a full understanding of the concept matter.”

Environment

During revision, a student is also asked to look for a quiet place without distractions. The greatest distraction of all time, according to Clementine Mujawayezu, a nursing student at the University of Rwanda, Rwamagana campus, is checking a phone or watching TV while trying to concentrate on something, because you won’t give one thing all the attention necessary, hence, wasting time.

Taking notes

Another technique for better revision Mujawayezu says, is learning while taking notes.

"Taking notes is the first study. There are some students who take notes for the sake of finishing, but taking notes should be your first study,” she says.