Annual Exam, your name is 'Horror' !

This morning, I overheard the following from my next-door neighbour’s house, where lives a small family with two naughty little boys. The elder one, studying in 2^nd standard, is struggling with his English book, a few hours before his annual exam. He recites loudly the spellings and meaning of the words from the text book.

He caught my attention when I heard him repeating, ‘d-a-u-g’ ‘h-t-e-r’, doctor. He did it many times and then went to the meaning of the word ‘princess’. He started, ‘Princess- the doctor of a king, Princess- the doctor of a king’.  After five repetitions the mother intervened, saying, ‘daactar illappa, dattar’ (not doctor, it is daughter). Now the poor boy was confused.

He started again ‘Princess- the dau..do...ctor of a king’. Being a teacher, I felt like giving him a hand, but kept myself away without meddling with our neighbour’s affairs.

The next minute I overheard a defeated voice, ‘Ennaala padikka mudiyilamma...ellame maranthu poguthu...schoolukku ponnaal ethume gnabagam varaathu...kulikkurathukkullaare ellaam maranthu pogum...enakku padikka pudikkala” (I can’t study, mother; I forget everything; when I go to school I don't recollect anything; by the time I take bath I will forget everything; I don’t like to study)

Mother replied, ‘padichaathaan periya aalaha mudiyum, kashttappattu padi’ (only if you study, you’ll become great; work hard).

‘Enakku periya aalaha vendaam’ (I don’t want to become great) and he closed the book.

Mother wasn’t happy. ‘summa book moodi thirandu vilayaadaathey. Ozhunnga ukkaanthirunthu padi’ (Simply don’t open and close the book and play. Study well)

Our guy loses his cool. His confidence drops and fear grips him. He wanted some distraction. He saw his little jobless brother sitting and playing. No books, no school, no exams for him! Unfair! So he decided to do something about this situation. He started disciplining the little brother. Annoyed by the Big Brother's nuisance, the younger one started reacting and in two minutes he screamed, ‘Amma, ivan enne tholla panran’ (mother, he’s disturbing me).

Mother came to the scene and shouted at our hero and comforted the younger one. What a heart break! I could feel the lad’s feelings. He became jealous and angry towards his younger brother and his bookless school-free life. He hated his books, school, exam, mother, and everything around him.

By the time the mother reached her kitchen, he again started bullying the little one.

The fight started and then I understood the origin of everyday fights and noises made by the new kids on the block. Our neighbourhood was a kid-free zone till the arrival of this new family next door.

By the time I started my car, our friend had finished his bath, put on his uniform and with his school bag and a long face, ready for his journey to school. Our eyes met and I didn’t dare smile at his sad face. I remained helpless, I thought of the one year old baby who’s on the other side of my house, and a few little babies in our street. All will start schooling in two or three years and then what will happen to our happy neighbourhood? I was worried.

On my way I was thinking about his day at school. His anger taken on someone, kids calling him a bully, teachers calling him naughty. I smelt the starting point of ‘making of a criminal’.

Indian Educational System, though it has got a special subject called ‘Value Education’, does nothing but damages all the basic in-born values of a child. It churns out criminals, cheats, and bullies. Except for the very few lucky ones, all the kids get affected negatively, losing many valuable assets in life for the sake of a Grade on the Report Card.

I didn’t get irritated when I heard the boys shouting, playing and fighting in the evening. My heart was filled with empathy which replaced my normal annoyance to the noise pollution that they both make. Apart from feeling sorry for the lad, I could only write this blog to show my concern towards his feelings, rather, feelings of any kid. I thought of my students studying at home and the tension and stress that causes in each family. Yet, I can only continue with my teaching, conducting tests, giving them home work.

Equally, I felt so happy today that my students reacted to my suggestion of ‘learning something other than the prescribed text’. Their spontaneous reaction was a frank and loud question, “Ma’m, why this kolavery?’

In spite of what cannot be changed in our system, if there is any possibility for kids to vent their feelings and laugh it out together, they’ll feel understood. That’s what kids need. Just someone to understand them. And through your gift of understanding, perhaps you can prevent a child from becoming a criminal!