Managing your Child's Academic Pressure
By Dickson Tumuramye Last week, I sat down with my son, a Primary Seven candidate, to talk about how his first term had been. We usually talk about many things, but this time, the conversation zeroed in on one major concern: academic pressure at school. I asked David what he thought were the causes of this pressure and how he was personally coping. He thoughtfully responded, and we cited several factors. Schools are under immense pressure to perform. Competition from neighbouring schools, expectations from directors and parents, and the fear of losing learners to better-performing institutions all contribute to a culture of relentless academic drilling. Many schools believe that outstanding academic results attract more students and, consequently, increase the school’s profitability. The pressure trickles down to the learners. In some schools, many wake up at 4:00 a.m. to prepare for morning preps between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. Formal classes begin between 7:15 and 8:00 a.m. and continue ...