Meet Henry Fischel, the “Man Who Invented Exams” (Spoiler: He Didn’t)

If you’ve ever sat in an exam hall staring at the paper like, “God, abeg who send me school?”, then you’ve probably cursed the man who invented exams. And if you’ve ever Googled him, one name keeps showing up: Henry Fischel.

People say he’s the reason you drink three cups of coffee at 2 AM, praying your brain will download the entire textbook before morning. Because of Henry, the story goes, we have carryovers, extra years, and those nights when your heart beats louder than your invigilator’s footsteps.

There’s just one small problem: Henry didn’t invent exams. Stay with me, because the real story is older, bigger and, honestly, more painful for students.

If exams had a voice, they’d say: “I’m here to humble you.” Because tell me why you will read all night, memorize 50 pages, and the first question will greet you like:

“Define and explain the concept of…” – and you’re just there like, “Concept of what?!”

So who really started this wahala?

Type “who invented exams” into Google and Henry Fischel’s name pops up on a lot of websites, usually as the man who wanted education to be fair for everyone. But those pages can’t even agree on who he was, and we could not find any reliable history that backs the claim up. Exams are far older than any one man.

Here is what historians actually point to:

Notice something? The big idea behind all of them is the one the Henry story gets right: measure knowledge, not connection. No eye service, no bribery, no grading by vibes: everyone gets the same questions under the same conditions. Every society that had to choose people for jobs or school places eventually landed on some form of exam. There was no single Henry. There was just a lot of people who needed a fair way to decide.

The Nigerian exam wahala (and Africa at large)

Fast forward to Nigeria today. Exams have become part of our DNA. From WAEC to JAMB, NECO, Post-UTME, and even professional exams like ICAN, students live in a constant cycle of reading, praying, and hoping the examiner has mercy.

NECO still keeps students in the hall every June and July. And it isn’t only a Nigerian story:

• Across Africa: Kenya has the KCSE, South Africa the National Senior Certificate, and Ghana the WASSCE. Everywhere, students are burning midnight oil like fuel during scarcity.
• The UK: GCSEs and A-Levels.
• China: the Gaokao, so intense that students prepare for years.
• India: JEE and UPSC, famously among the toughest exams anywhere.

Globally? Same gist, different name. No matter where you go, exams are a universal struggle.

Why do we still need exams?

We can hate exams all we want, but truth be told, they’ve helped shape education. Without exams, some of us would open our books only when NEPA takes light, teachers would still favour their pets, and progress would be based on vibes. Here’s why exams still matter:

• They keep us focused. Without them, we’d just be doing cruise in class.
• They build confidence. Passing that wicked paper feels like winning a Grammy.
• They create fairness. Effort, not connection, decides your grade.
• They open doors. Scholarships, jobs and life-changing opportunities start with exams.
• They prepare us for life. Life is full of tests, just without question papers.

Final thoughts

Exams are stressful, no doubt. They make us question our life choices. They make us cry into our pillows and make promises to God we know we won’t keep. But deep down, they push us to be better, learn harder, and stay sharp.

So next time you sit in the hall, chewing your biro and wondering why life is hard, just smile and say: “Whoever started this wahala, I still hate you small… but thank you sha.” 😂