Who Invented Examinations

who invented examinations

Do you know anyone who genuinely loves writing exams? I don’t. We’ve always tolerated them, but we’ve never liked them.

What do you know about the man who invented examinations? Well, it is time to go down memory lane, as in this article, we will be profiling the creator of exams.

Who Invented Examinations?

Meet Henry Fischel

According to historical sources, Philanthropist and Businessman Henry Fischel invented exams in the 19th century. He created exams to demonstrate students’ proficiency in subjects and test their ability to use their knowledge.

Henry Fischel reportedly traveled the US and Europe, focusing on interior and exterior testing. He postulated that these assessments would test how much students are familiar with what they were taught.

Henry Fischel was one of the first people to establish a philosophy about examinations.

Other sources indicate that another person can be credited to be the creator of the modern-day assessment system using his name, Henry Fischel. The latter was a professor of religious studies that died in 2008.

Historical Evidence of Examinations

According to recorded history, the people of ancient China were the first to implement an examination system.

The government at the time would organize a national assessment called the Imperial Examination.

The Sui Dynasty implemented this in 605 AD, and the purpose was to select people for government positions. China abolished the general examination appointment system in 1905.

After Ancient China, England adopted an examination system in 1806.

The purpose of taking exams was to test potential candidates to serve in Her Majesty’s Civil Service.

Later on, this system was adopted in education and became a useful tool used by teachers to gauge the knowledge gained by students during an academic term or session.

And that was how the concept of exams spread to other parts of the globe and became an important aspect of the world’s educational system.

In modern society, examinations have evolved into different types of assessments like multiple-choice questions, essays, term papers, research papers, etc. In some cases, students are tested with a combination of different types of assessments.  

Conclusion

There you go! I hope this post about who invented examinations was helpful. Did you enjoy it? Share with friends and drop a comment because we’d love to hear from you.

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