‘Butterfly’ season: Stress among students, parents and teachers for Board exams
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It’s the butterfly season. Butterflies in the tummy, that is. Board exams are around the corner, and the stress is catching up with students, parents and teachers.
While the CBSE boards (Class 10 and 12) are set to start on February 15, the state syllabus boards are scheduled to begin on March 9. Tension levels, understandably, are high since full-fledged exams are making a comeback after two years of Covid lull. Moreover, students at most schools did not have to go through rigorous tests in 8h and 9th grade. And now, they are prepping to appear for their first public exam.
“Classes were mostly online in the previous years,” says Nayana S, a Class 10 student at Campion School, Kochi. “When physical classes resumed, it was tough to catch up, as some teachers sped up to complete portions in time.”
Pressure from parents and relatives adds to the burden, says Nandana A Nair, a Class 10 student at Sacred Heart HSS, Kochi. “Every time I meet relatives, they ask whether I would score top grades in all the subjects. They make the process of getting admission into Class 11 sound like a nightmare.”
Her classmate Sidharth Sreekumar echoes the same grouse, adding that he gets irked when his parents gush about his cousins scoring well in exams.
Class 12 students seem to be a tad better off in handling the pressure, as they already faced board exams in Class 10. “Still, I am a little nervous,” smiles Arsha M A, a student of Govt Girls HSS, Malayinkeezh, in Thiruvananthapuram.
Arsha adds that several students have been depending on YouTube videos for revision, especially when it comes to portions covered via online classes. “Teachers are supportive, and approachable if we get stuck with any portions,” she says. “I keep short notes while studying to remember the important points.”
Another Class 12 student at Assisi Vidyaniketan Public School, Kochi, says just the thought of board exams makes her “really nervous”. She says there is immense pressure from teachers. “The pressure from my parents is comparatively lower,” she adds, requesting anonymity.
“I find the portions covered via online classes the most difficult to grasp. Till now, I have not covered all the portions, and I am going through bouts of anxiety.”
Her classmate Freddy Saju, however, is pretty chilled out. “I haven’t even started preparing for the exams,” he says, chuckling. “Yes, there is tension, as this is a life-changing exam. It is exciting, not stressful. Teachers are supportive, and we are being given special classes.”
Teachers, too, feel the heat
It is not just the students who feel the stress, says Anoop John, a teacher from Ramamangalam High School in Ernakulam district. “Teachers, too, are anxious about the results. The performance of students reflects our efforts as well. These online-physical transitions have not been easy for us, too,” he says.
Kerala Pradesh School Teachers Association state secretary T U Sadith says teachers have had to change their tutoring approach over the past year. “Earlier, there were ‘focus areas’ in each subject – particular areas that were given extra attention to score marks. But now, students must have a grasp over the entire syllabus; questions can come from any area,” he explains.
Subhash Vasu, a teacher at Kendra Vidyalaya, Pallipuram, in Thiruvananthapuram also speaks about “equal stress”. “Teachers ‘pass’ when students excel. Every exam is a test for us, too,” he says. “We have been taking extra classes, and helping students tackle different types of questions. We also provide counselling to help anxious children cope with the stress.”
Bindu Dominic, a teacher at LMCC High School in Kochi, shares a tip for those gearing up for the big test. “Students should write answers as demanded by the question. Focus only on the key points, they will be enough to score marks,” she says. “Lengthy answers do not mean good scores. Quality matters, not quantity.”
Gadget addiction
Rani Vidyadhara N K, vice-principal of SMV Govt Model Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram, says the past two years were taxing for teachers. “We also have been facing the new challenge of gadget addiction among children,” she says. “Gadgets and social media distract them. One student in my school struggled with phone addiction and is receiving psychological care now.”
Dr Arun B Nair, professor of psychiatry at Govt Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, says there is an increase in anxiety among students. “Also, the ripple effect of online classes is the misuse of gadgets. Late-night usage of gadgets is rising among children. This disturbs the sleeping schedule. Once the sleep is disturbed, anxiety levels can increase,” he explains.
Arun adds that Vitamin D deficiency is another concern. “A recent study covering 600 students found almost 86% of them lacked Vitamin D, which affects the brain’s abilities such as concentration and memory,” he says. “This is something that should not be ignored.”