LECTURE DELIVERED AT THE CHARTERED INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF NIGERIA (CIIN) STUDENTS FORUM BY DR. SARAFADEEN ADEBAYO RAJI

THEME: A stitch in Time-Save All - Be Chartered.

All Protocol

When I was call upon to be a guest speaker at this year, 2017, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) Student’s Forum, the picture that first came to my mind was my position twenty four (24) years ago, when I attended the same forum as a professional examination student at Ibadan, Oyo State.

I then appraised myself, what was my mind set, how did I address the challenge and what other experiences that I have garnered that can be shared with my brothers and sisters who are today’s CIIN professional examination students who are to deliver this type of paper tomorrow.

I now aligned my mind to that old but modified adage that, “A stitch in Time- Save All – Be Chartered.

Since we have all decided to have a career in Insurance, what is worth doing at all is worth doing well, including getting ourselves chartered at the nick of time.

The following information is intended to assist all of us as Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria Professional Examination Students or other stakeholders to devise our examination preparation strategies which are unique to our situation.

A.          BACKGROUND TIPS

i.         Be determined to crush the hurdle: As a person, have it in mind that the examination is a challenge or hurdle and be determined to give it what it takes to surmount the challenge and crush the hurdle by passing the examination in good time.

ii.       Academic Background Consideration: You must consider your background discipline. That is, graduates of Insurance and non-Insurance graduates.

Insurance Graduate – They have already been introduced into the subject, therefore a hardworking student merely need to revise what they have been thought in their various institutions. The students may or may not attend coaching class

Non-Insurance Graduate – The students must attend the professional tutorial examination class to have a firm grasp of the subject and professional examination approach. Since this is a relatively unfamiliar terrain.

iii.               Distinction between Academic and Professional Programme Examination: As part of the background tips, students must clearly decimate the boarder line between school base examination where course lecturer are known and can be approached even for clarification as need arise and professional examination where the examiners are not known, the marker of scripts and assessors are also not known.

Examination rule, often times the rules guiding the conduct of the examination differs, names on the scripts, manner of answering question, time of entering the examination hall e.t.c.

iv.               Believe in Yourself: This is a very essential background tips for passing exam with ease. Always believe in yourself and your ability. Your attitude should be, “if only one candidate will pass this examination, it will surely be me”. This kind of faith will put anything you want in your hands.

v.                  Examination Strategies: Clearly setout from the onset your strategies for passing the professional examination with ease.

 THE NEEDFUL

Ladies and Gentlemen, the needful is the strategies for passing the professional examination with ease if implemented religiously. The needful is broken into three (3) components as follows:

i.                    Pre-Examination Needful

ii.                 During Examination Needful

iii.               Post-Examination Needful

(I)            PRE-EXAMINATION NEEDFUL

Prior proper planning ensures passing examination with ease. No matter how easy an examination may be, you still need to be well prepared for it. Note that examinations are meant to test your ability to read and comprehend. Therefore the following are parts of the pre-examination needful;

i.                    Sacrifice: The elders say “child persevere early so that it will not last”. For the sake of easy and early conclusion and passing of your professional examination. You have to make sacrifices;

·                                      Annual leave fixed towards examination

·                                      Reduction of social engagement

·                                      Set your priority in the office

·                                      e.t.c

ii.                 Free Your Mind: For you to have total concentration on your reading, examination students should free their mind of all worries. When you free your mind, your ability to read and comprehend will likely be at the peak.

iii.               Set out Your Reading Pattern: Once you have concluded to write the examination, it is important to decide your reading pattern:

a.            Tutorial Coaching Class: For those who will attend, to have enough technical information which will be supplemented with personal reading set-out on time.

b.            Personal Reading: Set out on time to have adequate preparation. This should often be supplemented with tutorial reading, where notes can be compared. Avoid crash programmes

iv.               Assemble and Read Relevant Materials: Fortunately, reading materials are readily available at the institute secretariats and the state chapters of the institute.

Other reading materials such as local text books, the various laws – Insurance Act 2003, NAICOM Decree 1997, CIIN Decree 1993 e.t.c. In your reading, jot notes of points it will serve two purposes, it will help you to understand better what you are reading and secondly it makes future reading easier and faster.

v.                  Treat Past Questions: Past questions, not only of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) but of other tertiary institutions around.

Understand the structure of the likely questions you will encounter in your examination, so that you will not only be familiar with the structure but your frame of mind on how to treat such questions in the examination.

Equally you build your confidence on daily basis as you treat past questions, work within the time constraints of your questions.

vi.               Sleep Early Before Examination: One advantage of having adequate preparation is, your mind will be at rest the day before the examination and you will approach the examination with confidence. Ensure all your preparation is before that day and have enough rest on the night before the examination. You will be fresh and be alert.

vii.             Know the Examination Venue and be there on Time: familiarize yourself with the examination venue, if possible before the day of examination. Avoid rushing to the examination venue at the last minutes. It is not a good way to ease into an examination.

Be at the examination venue at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the examination and settle down on time.

viii.          All Materials Required To Be At Hand: All materials required to qualify you as examination candidate to enter the venue of the examination must be assembled in a safe place with you and properly displayed (Examination Photo card, Pen, Pencil, Eraser e.t.c.)

(II)      DURING EXAMINATION NEEDFUL

A candidate is said to be ready for the examination, when all the above “in A” have been satisfied.

The next stage is implementation of all your preparation which is the examination proper. The following needful are required to ensure successful examination.

i.                    Settle down early enough: as soon as the centre or venue is opened for the examination, enter and locate your seat, settle down immediately. Seek for divine guidance.

ii.                 Obey Examination Rule: disobey the rules and get disqualified. You might have gotten away with this many times in the past but don’t forget that “everyday is for the thief but one day is for the owner”. The rules are simple, do yourself a favor and obey them. This will actually allow you to focus better on what you have in front of you rather than turning your head like an antenna seeking signal.

iii.               Be time conscious: how long will you have to do the examination. You may have to practice answering different type of questions in a limited time. Be careful you may be confident that you’ve got the knowledge, but it makes no sense when you know it will take four hours to write that knowledge in a two hours exam. Hence, allocate time to every section or every question as appropriate before you begin writing. One of the common reasons for examination failure is inability to complete the test before time. This can be avoided if you can just time yourself. It will help you not to spend too much time on any question and it will also keep you on track throughout your examination.

iv.               Understand the questions before answering: The difference between taking 5 seconds to read and understand a question and having 30 seconds is not that big. The difference in your answer may be huge. Treat every question like you’ve not seen it before no matter how familiar it may look and make sure you get the interpretation before you provide an answer.

v.                  Don’t Annoy the Examiner: Markers are only human, make sure you write clearly such that an examiner doesn’t have to unduly stress himself to see what you have written. Ignore this advise and you risk examination failure.

Equally obey simple instructions, for instance, do not write in the margin, and do not write your name on the examination scripts. Also, do not answer five questions when you are actually to answer four questions.

The examiner might think you are trying to play on his intelligence.

vi.               Cross Check your answers when you are done: spare yourself few minutes before the examination ends to make sure you cross check your answers. Even if your answers are okay, you will be happy you have checked it. If however you do change something, you will be happy you spotted it.

vii.             Avoid been panic: do not panic as this situation can block your thinking. Get relaxed and stop trying to concentrate for some few seconds. You may make some basic notes to help get back on track. If however, the situation did not improve, you may have a toilet break or request to be escorted out of the examination hall for a breather; this will be of great assistance.

viii.          Seek Divine Assistance: after you have done your best as above, commit the examination to the safety and protection of the Almighty.

(III)     POST EXAMINATION NEEDFUL

These are events and action that takes place after the examination. Candidates should be well guided in the following:

i.                    Give yourself a break: After an examination, know that it is over and give yourself a break, rather than thinking of points you are supposed to have written down in the paper. It serves no useful purpose but demoralize you, especially if you have another examination ahead of you. Switch off from that, so breathe a sigh of relief and face the next challenge.

ii.                 Don’t compare note: Never you join the chorus. Some candidates are in the habit of comparing their notes with others, this is irrelevant. It makes you sad and gives you the feeling of self defeat. This may affect other examinations you have ahead.

iii.               Take a break: Always leave a gap after an examination. Your brain deserves a rest. No matter how small, after an examination, allow a space of at least 5 minutes to rest your brain. You will indeed be fresh.

Conclusion

In conclusion, “the heaven, the elders says, help those who help themselves”. If we must have a successful and rapid career progression, it is imperative we are chartered in good time, hence, a stitch in time will not only save nine but all.  Many of us have written examinations, so this is not our first time and this talk is not the first we have listened to. It only serves as a reminder. I hope it will.

Appreciation

I thank the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) for this privilege on both side of divide – to me and the examination students. The general audience for their rapt attention. Wish you success in the examination ahead.

REFERENCES

How to pass an examination: effective Technique before, during and after. http://www.theuniverity blog.co.uk/2010/04/23. Pp 1 – 5.

How to pass any examination: 10 practical tips. http://www.leadershiphub.org. 2013

Peabody M. (2014); ABFM Guide for Exam Preparation; Psychometrician (859) 269 – 562 Ext 1226, http://www.thesbfm.org

Studying for Exams: The learning Centre unlock Your Potentials. http://www.jcu.eu.av/students/learning-centre.  pp 1-5.

– 2014. Pp 1 – 6.