There has been yet one more case of a teenager ending his life because of failure in the examination. In a tragic incident a class XI student who failed in the exams reportedly committed suicide by jumping from the third floor of a building located at the Ponda bus-stand (Herald April 29). The teenager reportedly died of head injuries.
It must be said that such incidents of teenagers ending their lives because of failure in the examinations have been taking place at a disturbing frequency in the state. This needs to stop as young and precious lives are being lost in this manner. Here is where counseling plays an important role. The government should make it mandatory to have a counselor in every school and college in the state. It would be in the fitness of things to consider counseling as one of the subjects, the only difference being that no exams would be held in this ‘subject’.
Proper counseling will go a long way in preventing such deaths due to suicide. The students should be advised that failing in the examination is not the end of the world. Parents should also be advised not to put undue pressure on the students to perform as per their expectations. Each child is unique with his/her unique abilities. The task is to identify these latent talents of the child and nurture them. The Bollywood movie “Tare Zameen Par” is a classic movie which every parent should see as it shows how the hidden talent of a child who is not good in the studies can be nurtured. The PTA of the schools need to identify the students who are weak in the studies and make them attend counseling sessions on a regular basis. Children are the future of our country. They should never be labeled as “useless” because of their failure in the exams.
Examinations only test the ability of the student to grasp what is being taught. They (exams) do not test the hidden talent of the child. The child should be given the opportunity to grow in various fields, be it sports and extra-curricular activities and the pressure on the student during the exams from the parents should be minimal. Parents should be sensitive to the needs of the child, specially the emotional need. Scolding a growing child can have an adverse psychological effect which can even develop a suicidal tendency in the child. Teachers in the schools should also be sensitive to the needs of the child and not treat children who are slow learners as “useless”.
