It is that time of the year when the blood pressure levels of parents, with kids who would be taking the Class X and Plus Two public examinations soon, begins to slowly but steadily head north.
In the interest of the child’s future, the entire family makes sacrifices. Serials, cricket matches and news shows are simply out of question for the next few months as the television remains off limits for everyone.
A lot of attention is poured on the student with nutritious food and coffee/tea to help remain awake during late night, much to the envy of siblings. However, all of this becomes counter-productive as it often ends up piling a lot of pressure on students who stretch themselves beyond their limits. This often has adverse effects on many students and it manifests in different ways such as anger, depression, and even leads to suicidal tendencies.
Chief Education Officer A. Gnanagowri says the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has appointed mobile counselling psychologists to help Government school students handle stress better. Teachers themselves give counselling to the students – if they cannot – they identify the counsellor.
S. Arulvadivu, mobile counselling psychologist for Coimbatore, Tirupur and The Nilgiris districts, says procrastination is the main culprit that leads to pressure and stress among students. Students must learn not only to draw up a schedule for preparation but also learn to adhere to it.
“The classes are used to teach psychological techniques to help students meet their own targets. We have begun to train teachers to spot such students and counsel them accordingly.”
R. Visalakshi, president of Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, says one of the major factors that causes tension in students is the writing speed. Many students get apprehensive whether they would be able to complete the tests within the stipulated three hours.
Private schools have been conducting classes to address this issue. Further, schools also hold several revision tests to instil confidence among students and help them identify their weaknesses. The 15 minutes of additional time given to go over the question paper is a boon for students. She also opines that pressure will be more among Class X students who would be taking their first public examinations.
R. Lakshmanasamy, president of Pollachi Private Schools’ Welfare Association, says schools are now conducting counselling programmes for both students and parents as well. A three-hour programme was held recently at Pollachi. He urges students not to avoid sleep and food while preparing as they must maintain their health.
“We show examples of people who have succeeded in different fields. This will show students that the public examinations are not the be-all and end-all but simple one step in life.”
