Revel in moderation

WITH public examinations currently going on and almost using all the classrooms they have, schools have no choice but send the nonexamination classes home early.

Quietness around examination bases is strictly emphasised. Schools are overstretched with high levels of classrooms shortages and cannot avoid sending some learners home. Most teachers are involved in the invigilation of public examinations hence no one is to attend to those free from the examinations.

There is no easy way out of this problem faced by schools in the foreseeable future. The situation calls for responsibility on the part of the learners sent back home early to facilitate the easy running of the examinations.

This does not give them more sleeping time, but, it is an opportunity to catch up on areas of need. They should design effective study timetables so that each day is spent wisely as if they were at school. Lost learning time is hard to recover.

Unrecovered lost learning or study time means more pressure on the learner. Learning under pressure has a negative impact on the learners as this leads to weak performances in class. So be advised that you can play as much as well as relax but do not overdo it. Over indulgence in negativity is dangerous. There is a lot of pessimism in the air among learners because of the environment they live in. Some have siblings holding on to high class certificates, diplomas and degrees but are jobless.

Such a scenario is demotivating many learners as they see no need to work hard and pass at school if you are to perennially roam the streets. Teachers are faced with a mammoth task of trying to motivate the demoralised learners. However, learners need not lose hope as economic problems are usually a passing phase. One time the economic performance is low and the next time it is up, then what happens to you if you have no relevant qualifications?

This should sink into the minds of those learners who might be thinking of just going to school and do not bother about scoring high grades as they believe that passing examinations is futile and has no relevance in life. Short term successes and riches are very attractive but do not last for long.

Learners should always be patient, persevere and aim high. Times are hard, parents and guardians are struggling to pay school fees and the worst they would like to hear is that learners are absconding lessons or not putting much effort in their school work.

Examination candidates should put swot leave days to good use. These should not be taken as rest days leading to weaker performances than those done before study days. If they were working hard, they should maintain the impetus. Opportunities of this nature should not lead to misery at the end but should bring about joy. In the thick of the moment, examination candidates, usually get hysterical when their final examinations end so as to lose their senses at times.

While they do not run mad, they are really overexcited so as to throw away or donate valuable items they still need in their lives. There used to be big fires made (so-called bonfires) made by learners on the night before leaving boarding school where papers, books and clothing items were burnt. It was then, things were affordable. Nowadays when you do that remember that your little sister or brother might need those books, notebooks or other items without letting your parents or guardian buy new ones which might cost a fortune.

There is excitement among learners that come the following year, they will be in the new class. Congratulations on that note, but, make sure you have worked hard for it by doing well in the end of term tests or examinations. Otherwise it is improper just to look forward to moving forward knowing fully well that your performance is unpleasing. If that is so, all hope is not lost as you can still manage to pull yourself out of the fire and improve as long as you remain focused. Do yourself good by undergoing some introspection to find out why you have not done well. Identify your weaknesses and strengths and work from there.

In some schools learners are forced to change subjects depending on how they have been performing maybe in the past couple of years. This is done to assist learners to choose the right path of study so that they have no problem when it comes to making career choices. It is a fact that there are challenges when it comes to this exercise — parents, guardians and learners on one side and the teachers or school authorities on the other.

In a nutshell there are fierce disagreements on the choice of subjects with neither part yielding to the suggestions proffered leading to learners being transferred from one school to the other. Whatever the case, subjects should not be imposed on learners. I have heard learners expressing reservations about parents choosing subjects for them. The best solution to all this is to strike a compromise for the good of the learner. Though, parents and guardians have the final say as they hold the financial muscle.

For views link with charlesdube14058@ gmail.com or sms to 0772113207.