Exams are an important feature of secondary education. However, there is contention over whether frequent exams prepare students for post-school life. I believe that teenagers should be given regular exams as this will provide useful practice before they go on to be assessed in university and also help develop a range of skills which are essential in the world of work.
Having frequent exams at high school ensures that teenagers have had ample examination practice before continuing to higher levels of education. In further education, it is almost certain that students will be tested in one way or another. This may be practical (for example, a vocational course will require students to pass practical exams) or academic (university students are evaluated on ‘coursework’ type tests, formal end-of-year exams, or a combination of both). Hence, exams at secondary school provide a foundation of experience which prepares teenagers for the tests they will encounter in further education.
Regular exams also push teenagers to develop a range of skills that are useful in the world of work. For example, taking an exam requires a student to plan, prepare, and perform in the test, thus developing time management capability, resiliency, and the ability to deliver under pressure. These skills are invaluable in a professional setting, where it is essential to be able to organise the workload and meet deadlines.The more exams that teenagers have in high school, the greater the opportunity to develop such skills.
In conclusion, I would argue that teenagers should be given regular exams at secondary school because they provide useful practice for future tests in further education and develop a range of skills that help teenagers when they start work.