exams are the only way to assess students' progress

We can often catch the sight of young students showing excitement and interest on their faces on the first day of school, but those who have been in school for years will say it is all fun and games until the presence of tests and exams. Most educators believe that exams are the best way to judge students' ability, depending on the marks or grades that they get in these exams. On the contrary, many others, including myself, hold the view that examinations are unfair assessments of progress, and therefore should be replaced by another more effective alternative, which will be introduced later on in this essay. Tests and examinations have always been the preferred choice among schools when it comes to evaluating their students' learning progress, yet I am convinced that they do not fully reflect the ability of students due to the effects of pressure and the unreliability of the exam results. The progress of studying for an exam is not by any means an easy one, as students have to invest most of their time and energy into revising and cramming as much as they can, or else they will fail. Some students might even forget what they have tried to remember simply because they are too nervous, in which case the results may not turn out to be what they have expected, and eventually put the students in a state of distress where they have to suffer from the pressure from their peers as well as family. Furthermore, some dishonest students may cheat in their exams to get good results, which is obviously unfair to both the education system itself and the other students who work genuinely hard to achieve their goals. This is likely to mislead teachers and educators into giving incorrect evaluations, making test scores an unreliable base to judge students' potential. A proper substitute for examinations, according to my point of view, would be a continuous assessment, alongside a required summary when students finish their school year or courses. To be more specific, students will be assessed during the time they attend school, regarding attitude (including attendance and effort) and progress; and instead of a final exam at the end of the semester, they will be asked to make a succinct summary of what they have learned. This method will enable teachers to fully understand students as well as their strengths and weaknesses, thus develop an appropriate and effective learning route. This in-course evaluation also increases the sense of inclusiveness to a higher level, allowing students to learn and improve at their own pace and get the message that everyone can succeed if they put in enough effort. Additionally, continuous assessments are more meaningful and representative of students' skills and abilities, which, to my mind, is much more effective compared to exams - a mere illustration of how well a student can cram for the test. A summary of what students have gathered at the end of the learning course will help teachers to make sure that the students truly comprehend the knowledge they have been taught, which can improve the outcomes of the students as well as the schools extensively. In conclusion, while exams have long been a trusted method to judge students' progress, I believe that this has become obsolete and outdated due to the constant changes around the world. Therefore, another way of assessing should be put into use, and if anything, the continuous assessment would be the most appropriate one.