Is Exam Pressure taking a toll over the Children Health ?

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National Union of Teachers' report - highlights on the increasing level of anxiety among the children of age group “10 to 12” as a result of study pressure and exams. The teachers have reported that they have observed “complete meltdown” of the kids during the exam time.

Taking a Toll on Health: 

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The school level anxieties mainly build up during the exam time , when the children are often observed in tears, mental and physical sickness, nausea and to make the situation worse the competative parents exagerrate the importance of the exams and build up more pressure on their kids. They literally force their children to believe that its the grades that determine their future.

Due to excessive study pressure , the kids often underperform in the exams which lead to decreased self-esteem and is also sometimes demotivated from higher studies.

Too much of Exam Pressure: 

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A teacher from a unnamed UK school had cited live examples of kids within age brackets of 14 to 16 years have taken hasty decisions due to poor performance in exams. A13-year old kid had almost starved himself to death whereas another child had been admitted to the psychiatric wards because of the extreme level of school pressure and failure to live upto the standards of his parents. All of them were diagnosed with “Acute level of Depression.”
A survey conducted by National Union of Teachers under Merryn Herchings, emeritus professor at London Metropolitan University reflects how the tests, exams, Ofsted inspections and other accountability measures are affecting schools and what are its adverse outcomes. The results of the survey was based on the responses of about 8,000 teachers, case studies of heads, children, and a review of research and other literature sources.

Hutchings said: “The problems are caused by increased pressure from tests/exams, children’s greater awareness at younger ages of their own ‘failure’, and the increased rigour and academic demands of the curriculum.”

There has been a significant increase of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder among the school going children due to high-stakes testing. That means the school environment is practically not suited to them as it demands all hours of classroom lectures with minimum or no practical. This disorder is mostly related to mental concentration.

Christine Blower, the NUT general secretary, said: “The findings about the experiences and concerns of children and young people are shocking and sometimes upsetting.”

“The study exposes the reduction in the quality of teacher-pupil interaction, the loss of flexibility and lack of time for teachers to respond to children as individuals, the growing pressure on children to do things before they are ready, and the focus on a narrower range of subjects.” he added.

The NUT organisation working in close with the UK government had been inspecting the school exams, learning procedures and the other academic regulation is now taking the reports of the survey seriously. A lot of such surveys conducted on the school environments and the child development have suggested that the school level pressure is the main reason of concern for the children health. Too much study burden, failure of the teachers to interact with the students on the personal level are causing extra hardships in the overall development of the children.

Lucie Russell, director of campaigns at charity Young Minds, said in response to Hutchings’ findings that many of those the charity worked with “said that they feel completely defined by their grades and that is very detrimental to their well being and self-esteem”. Ofsted had never reported about the health issues faced by the students , although ministers across health and education departments have become increasingly worried about the issue.
The Department for Education said: “No one should be stressed out by exams, which is why we have scrapped modules and January assessments so young people are only entered for tests when they are truly ready.

“We are also investing in mental health services helping schools provide counseling services and support for pupils with mental health needs. This is alongside almost £5m funding for projects dedicated to helping children and young people with mental health issues.”

The verdict: 

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In the age of been what they want to- the little kids are dragged forcefully into laborious hours of studies just for the stake of higher grades that would after all defined themselves. Is this the correct way to spend the childhood?

If exam pressure or worries about college or university have lead to 2 have thoughts of suicide. Get info&support http://t.co/pqvYlFVf

— PAPYRUS (@PAPYRUS_tweets) February 2, 2013

Share tour views on how you managed to overcome study and exam pressure.

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