Richfield Needs a Wake-Up Call

The way Richfield is handling practical modules is not just frustrating, it’s outright unacceptable. As students in a tech-driven field, we expect to be taught and assessed using real tools that are relevant to the industry. But instead, we’re being tested under conditions that feel more like high school theory exams than professional, skill-based learning.

Let’s start with the exams: How are students supposed to prove their ability and understanding in practical modules when we're not even allowed to use compilers, text editors, or any form of development tools? These are practical subjects. We learn by doing, by writing, testing, debugging, and improving code. Stripping us of the tools we use every day completely defeats the purpose. It turns what should be an evaluation of skill into a meaningless memory test. That’s not education, that’s outdated and lazy assessment design.

And then there's the issue with assignments, which honestly pushed many of us over the edge. We were given an assignment that asked us to replicate a web layout. Naturally, many of us used CSS to bring the design to life, because that's exactly what developers are expected to do. Only to be told afterward that we would be marked down for using CSS "incorrectly" or "too much"? Are you serious? How does it make any sense to give us an assignment that clearly requires styling, and then penalize us for doing it well?

It felt like we were being set up to fail, as if the goal wasn’t to test our capabilities, but to catch us out. The instructions were vague, the expectations were unclear, and then we were blamed for doing exactly what a reasonable student would assume is required. We were expected to replicate an image, but told not to use the very tools that make that possible. So what was the point? If we’re not allowed to apply what we’ve learned, where exactly are we supposed to grow?

This kind of poor academic planning is beyond frustrating, it's disheartening. It discourages initiative. It punishes creativity. And most importantly, it robs students of the opportunity to showcase their potential. What’s the point of teaching modern technologies if students are actively discouraged from using them when it matters most?

Richfield needs to seriously reevaluate its approach. Practical modules require practical assessments. Stop holding students back with outdated methods and inconsistent marking schemes. We deserve better. We came here to learn, not to be boxed into broken systems that don't reflect the industry we’re preparing to enter.