FAILING IN EXAMS...

“Your cousin has got three As in the GCE (Advanced Level) so you had better work hard” said Mona, Navin’s mother. Navin had grown up in the shadow of his cousin and had not questioned why he had been compared to him, usually for the worse. Navin had never come first in class although he studied as best he could. “Some days, I just don’t understand the subject” he confessed. Navin had sat for the Grade Five Scholarship Exam but failed to get enough marks to pass. Even in end of term exams Navin did not fare well and his anxious parents sent him for tuition. Although the tutors advertised a high Pass Rate, Navin often failed his tests. Navin was now of an age to sit for the G.c.e.(ordinary Level) exam and went for private tuition in every subject. His parents had stopped his swimming classes and tennis so that he could concentrate on his studies. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. This saying was forgotten by Navin’s parents. Navin sat for the exam but predictably he failed. Navin was downhearted but his uncle told his parents the following story. “I know of a boy who sat for an exam and when the results came, he had failed. He was walking home wondering how to break the news to his parents when he saw two toddlers playing in the sand. Just then, a wall of water came to where the children were and the boy ran and rescued the two children risking his own life. When he went home, his father told him that though he had failed his exam he had done something braver by saving the two children.” Navin thanked his uncle and his parents also realised that there was more to life than passing exams. In Sri Lanka, there is too much emphasis on exams and results with even little children being sent for classes. Schoolchildren carry heavy bags full of books and parents and teachers focus on covering the syllabus and passing exams. Schools also carry banners and hoardings with pictures of students who have passed exams as this means prestige for the school. However, it must be stressed that students are human beings and they are not failures in life simply because they could not pass exams. You can always sit again for an exam and there is no need for a growing child to be depressed or even feel suicidal due to poor performance in academics. Also there should be no cut-throat competition among students. A child should be an all-rounder trying his or her hand at studies,sports and extra-curricular activities. He or she should also be allowed the freedom to enjoy the childhood.

I am doing free-lance research into “Human Relations & The Family Unit” and I welcome feedback. Basically I try to find out why people are unhappy or Just Plain Dissatisfied. You could contact me on 011 2300552 on weekdays or write to dailymirrorlife@gmail.com