Tests are very important phenomena in schooling. Expectedly, students must take several tests in the course of their schooling as the results of such are essential for a number of reasons. For instance, the results are used to make important decisions about students and educational programs including determining levels of curriculum mastery, report card grades, grade level promotions, honours, and graduation (Carter et.al. 2005). Also, educators and policy makers use examination records to monitor students’ learning progress and to assess the effectiveness of their instruction and identify ways to improve it (Salend, 2009).
However, many students experience test anxiety, especially, in Nigeria where many examinations are centralised and highly competitive. For instance, examinations such as the
West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), National Examination Council
(NECO), Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Post-UTME tests are highly competitive and therefore stress the acquisition of knowledge at all costs by the students, British Journal of Psychology Research
Vol.2, No.1, pp.14-24, March 2014 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.ea-journals.org)
15
since performance in these exams is necessary for obtaining admission for higher education at universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. Coupled with the fact that there is a quota system (which limits the chance of a student being admitted) for entering higher education institutions in Nigeria, students perceive examinations as a “do or die” thing in Nigeria and are therefore considerably pressurised to the extent that they experience high levels of stress, nervousness and apprehension while taking such examinations.
Between 25% and 40% of students experience test anxiety (Cassady, 2010), which