Although many may dismiss the views expressed in the article “Why this kolaveri, folks?” (March 11) as being preposterous, the following came to my mind when I read it. I had just entered class 10 and I found many of my fellow students filling their schedules with tuitions from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. On the first day, this is how my teacher addressed the class: “This is not the year for you to gain knowledge; this is the year for you to score marks.”
I was not surprised to finds parents and students flocking to the temple but I was quite amused on seeing a parent ask the priest to perform a puja on their child's hall ticket and pen. We should surely give importance to class 10 exams but is it necessary to go over the top?
Abhirami Nayar,
Thiruvananthapuram
One thing Gerleo Nimalan says is significant. Competition should be among students, not parents. Let parents leave their wards alone — they will surely get good results.
Narayanan Kizhumundayur,
Thrissur
Nimalan has rightly pointed to the state of school and college students who are pressured by their parents. The irony is, it is mostly literate parents — I do not want to say ‘educated parents' — who bring mindless pressure and foster unhealthy competition in their children's minds.
When I was a student, my parents did not even know what books I read or how many marks I scored. I studied in the local municipal school, and in a government college. My parents brought no pressure on me. In fact, my father would console me in my times of failure and that gave me the greatest moral support.
Ch. Manmadha Rao,
Guntur
Nimalan's article was interesting but unbelievable! Of course, class 10 and 12 are important in school education — they determine a student's career and realise a parent's dream. They are a teacher's challenge, the management's awe and, indeed, society's expectation! It depends on the student whether to learn or not. Whether to blame someone or not. Whether or not to listen to advice. Gerleo needs to have a positive approach, than beg for a break.
Usha Ramesh,
Tenkasi
