A A A A A A A A ?

     Today, I told my students the marks that they may ( I only told them paper 1 mark) get for the mid-year exams. I noticed that most of them were happy since they knew that they could get an A. However, I saw a girl was crying at the corner. I asked her the mark that she got. She said she got 35.( 40 is the full mark) Then I asked why she cried. She said that with that mark she was pretty sure that she could not get 95 or above.Her parents would scold her and even deny her allowances for a month. I said perhaps her parents said that just to boost her spirit in getting A.She told me that it it happened when she was in year 6.She got 94 and her parents stopped her allowance for a month.

    I was really speechless since I think that was too much.I could only console the girl ( who is actually the first in the batch ranking)I am a parent myself. Yes, I want my children to excel.I want my children to get all As.But I will not force them to get the most perfect A (95-100).If they can get that mark, for me it is a bonus.My student reminded me of quite a number of committing suicide cases which happen not only to secondary students but also to the primary ones ( age between 7 - 12).It is really an agony seeing my students suffer due to their own parents who I think are selfish. Each student has own strengths and weaknesses so we ( parents or teachers ) cannot force them to achieve what we want. Getting an A ( not to say the perfect A ) is mandatory for a student to succeed.

    Education in Malaysia is totally exam-oriented ( in my opinion) so parents force the children to compete not  just for the sake of self-achievement but merely due to parents' pride. Students are sent to tuition ( at least 3 subjects).Students have a lot of homework to attend to. Students need to attend the religious school as well.Students need to 'bring' A A A A A A A A ( 8A for lower secondary school).I am so sad seeing that students nowadays ( I am talking about my students )have no time for TV or spending the time during weekends with friends cycling ( just to mention one favourite pastimes when I was their age) etc. I do agree that getting lots of A is very important but do pity our children.80 or 90 both are A so I think parents must be proud enough of their children if they can get 80.

    In a nutshell, I whole-heartedly plead to parents out there to trust their children.Let them paint their own lives. Guide them but never force them.Always be the shoulder to cry on so that no other young generation will commit suicide just because not getting any A or getting 'not a perfect 'A. To my dear students : Always trust yourself that you can do your best.GOOD LUCK AND LOVE YOU ALL.