School is injurious to health

Good day, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I want to tell you a very important thing. It is a dire problem that had crept up in our society and which refuses to lose its roots and is in fact, being appreciated. Before I move further, I would like to ask all the readers to keep an open mind.

Now the problem we are dealing with is: Schools have become injurious to health.

Before people start to question my words, I would just like to say I have done extensive research from professional resources and I can support my arguments with some personal examples that are not a mere figment of the imagination.

A survey conducted has shown that the present anxiety levels of school students are the same as that of a psychological patient back in the 1950s. Now, I am not a student of psychology but I understand anxiety levels are not something that should be taken lightly. The above-mentioned fact seems pretty serious to me. A child’s mental health is very important. If a child is not mentally healthy, the adult that he or she will become can have multiple psychological damages that will be injurious to their future and the people around them. Any kind of situation that destroys the future, I believe, is a very severe problem that we are facing. If the future is filled with negativity, whose traces can already be seen in our present, I believe there is no striving for humanity. Wealth and status would be the least of concerns if human ceases to exist under the extreme circumstances of anxiety.

After all, self-harm comes from anxiety and the next step usually is frustration, which leads to depression, which may lead to suicide.

The next point, which I would like to talk about is how there is only one standard for each and every child. For underdogs, it is a herculean task while for geniuses it is not a challenge enough. At the end of the long race, the period of twelve years after which the school journey comes to an end, everybody has been reduced to the same level. The ones who did not understand anything has stretched himself or herself so much that there is nothing more they could do, leading to mental issues. The ones who could read and write at a wonderfully young age are reduced to mere tools, sitting behind a screen in a cubicle and wasting the time they could have spent on preparing a new masterpiece. I myself know of a girl, who knew astronomy, physics and computer language better than me, in spite of being my junior. Yet, her talents lay to waste as she received no reassurance and challenge other than her grades, which were already the best.

The standard made is full of faults. I know people who have received full marks but have zero understanding of their surrounding, the world and the worst, the subject they topped in. Teachers do say-don’t mug up, understand. But the harsh truth remains that understanding doesn’t bring the marks, mugging up does. The world revolves around these grades. The funny thing is, once a child has become an adult, no one, including the adult, would ask or remember what grade they got back when they were ten or fourteen. And yet, the school spends time focusing on the mere number.

Many of the people who cleared competitive exams this year were able to do it because they have become robots, not individuals with clear minds. The individuals with clear minds, meanwhile, were not able to reach the top as they decided to learn and understand, not mug it up.  I know of a man, who knew his subject better than anyone else in his generation. He never got the full marks-because he understood. He could not get what he deserved for a very long time because he refused to just read it all and vomit on the paper. He knew his subject. The success came to him but too late.

Why blame the education system and not the competitive exams then?

Well, because the education system all over the world has not really changed in all the years. We are following the same rules and regulations we followed some fifty years ago. Yes, we might have come a long way in terms of seating arrangements-from sitting on sacks under a tree to sitting on a chair under a roof-but the fact doesn’t change those teaching methods remain the same. If I can stretch, I must say education earlier was better as to explain something, dedicated teachers would show practical examples of the subject. Now, however, sitting in a class, fixing gazes on a huge screen that talks in a monotone voice with no enthusiasms seems more like a brainwashing technique rather than teaching. The mass production of a robot is hard to miss in this era where everyone needs to earn instead of following their passion. I myself, for example, have seen people who have wondrous abilities that are definitely god’s gifts, but they seem shy to use these gifts as the problem arises-how will they earn from such abilities?

While schools should be focusing on enhancing a child’s qualities, they are producing masses where everybody is average. Taking the famous that Einstine has given, often, fishes are asked to climb a tree and as it becomes impossible, they are deemed as a ‘problematic’ child. A really close friend of mine was an exceptional sportsperson but lagged behind profusely in all subjects. For nine years, she was the underdog who had resigned to fate because she was bad at what everyone was doing. However, in our last year, need rose of a player and she, taking a leap of faith, gave her name. She rose like Phoenix, from the ashes of the girl who was timid and rose to heights that nobody thought she could. The teachers, who once used to remark how poor she was in academics, now couldn’t stop praising her for her skillfulness. Her skill did not develop overnight; in fact, she had always been an exceptionally brilliant player. But she had to follow the hoard of sheep and had she not taken that risk, I believe she would have always remained an underdog.

No two children are the same. Some learn at a much faster pace than others. Some can quote Shakespeare from the top of their head while others can explain the theories of science and mathematics to you just fine. Some find their stronghold in the field out there while others find it on the stage. Some are brilliant at leading while others are amazing at following. Some find peace in spiritual world while others surrounded by the world. Some are the jack of all trades but master of none. The thing is-they are all special. And schools are the only place where they can strive.

But schools tend to be grey. All young children are crammed into a single room and taught the basics. That is fine, I presume. The basic knowledge is good. However, young children are given no option. Each child has to learn the basics of English, mathematics, science, arts and music. It is a fact that in every school, all the mentioned subjects are compulsory. I have always found that my fellow students have had a hatred for such subjects because they were imposed on them at such an early age. Because their consent was asked.

I, as an Arts student, am unable to understand why I needed to know what the remainder theorem was. And while as an intrigued child I am more than happy to know and understand it, there are many others who feel that by not knowing that one single thing, they are useless. It is wonderful, what a play of number can do to a child’s mind. A student who talks about Gods and spirituality is deemed, in the exact words of my fellow students, ‘psycho’. A boy who can lead the whole school is called ‘bossy’.

School is a place to enhance our skills-not to be brought down because a child cannot draw the apple as beautifully as the next one. Yes, fine, the child cannot even make a straight line. But she can quote poems and the painter can never do that.

With all the evidence, I presume, my point is clear. Schools have only managed to bring down a child’s moral and mental health in more than one way. And before someone objects, saying that it is not the school, but the society, I ask you, sir or madam, from where do the members of the society comes from? These children are like plants. Small, fragile, young plants. But each produces a different fruit. A mango tree will continue to produce mango and a coconut tree with continuing to produce a coconut. But if you try and make a coconut tree produce mango, by making it live in an environment suitable for mango trees-well, not only will the tree never grow the fruit of your labour, it will be sick and thin and probably perish before its time.

Think about it.

Indian Society

So, here’s a true story:

Two people, both young and independent, met at a wedding. They were both from the bride’s side and yet, had never seen each other. There, amidst the bright colours and cheerful place, their hearts began to flutter. It seemed like a beginning. It was so beautiful. Like the start of a new romance, a new story.

After the wedding was over, once they were away from the prying eyes, they met again in the common city, the city in which they lived. A small smile here and a small talk there was wonderful to make their heart beat fast. A brief hug and tiny kiss was the most wonderful feeling in the world. A small date wouldn’t harm anyone, now would it?

The relationship started and the friendship grew. But we live in an Indian society where women are hardly given rights to do anything. So here is a twist.

She had to marry someone else. And so she told the boy that.

He was sad, but they remained friends. That was their decision and it was their life. Nobody can comment or say anything there because they were their own people and they had their own lives.

But, when this small friendship grew, relationships were strained. Did I mention that they were both from the bride’s side? Yes, the bride’s mother knew both their mothers. The boy was friends with bride’s sister. The girl was very close to the same sister.

It shouldn’t have mattered. They were individuals. But, remember, we live in an Indian society, where one person’s life is not one’s own, where any action you do creates a ripple effect, where every single step should be taken wisely.

The bride’s mother’s a simple woman. Not too grand, just a mother you see everywhere. Caring, worried, a tad overprotective and living in the ties of the society and her extended family. Also, she was younger than both the boy and the girl’s mothers.

And, thus, started the drama. This relationship ruined it all.

No, them being together did not ruin it. What ruined it was the web of stories and fabricated statements and god knows what. A small untrue statement, a little blame on someone absolutely irrelevant, the disapproval from the girl’s family and things said which was told to be said by the bride’s family.

It shouldn’t have mattered, but the bride’s sister did not want to strain these relationships. And when, suddenly, the conversation with two people she liked so much and cared for suddenly stopped-well, I doubt that would have been pleasant.

She confronted the boy and he spilt everything, how they had been talking about their childhood and small petty things. How he had heard that she, the bride’s sister and mother, had been speaking things about him and his family and all in once, the relationships that had taken years to build were brought crumbling down.

The bride’s mother meanwhile was facing her own dilemma. The boy’s mother, may I add, wanted the marriage because she approved of the girl. However as mentioned, the girl had to marry someone richer. So the girl’s mother was not really in the favour. What can you say, typical Indian society!

The bride’s mother called up the girl’s mother and asked, rather demanded what had happened. She denied a lot of things which are not really suitable to say. But let us say it involved some things that should have been said long ago. And till this date, the girl’s mother has yet to step into the bride’s home.

The boy’s mother blamed the bride’s mother for interfering and trying to break the match. She has not talked to her since the relationship started blossoming, and the series of fabricated statements started flowing. The conversation, which once overflowed with emotions and secrets, was now restricted to-‘Hello, how are you? Okay bye.’

Now, like I said, there was nothing wrong in the relationship. There was nothing wrong with the things they told each other. If I may dare, I may add there was nothing wrong with what the boy and the girl mothers thought for their children and because of their society. But what of the bride’s family?

I know all of them personally and no I am not a part of this. But read what happened and think…who has suffered? The bride’s family.

Who has been tortured mentally? The bride’s family.

 Who is the one who has lost some relationships? The bride’s family.

Relationships take years to form. But one simple misunderstanding and before you know it, it is gone.

I want to ask, if this is not an example of stupidity, ego, madness and typical Indian society, what is?

And do we really want to live in such a society?

Periods is a part of us

PERIODS

I remember my first introduction to pads. It was kind of funny, because I thought they were diapers for adults. I found it in my sister’s cupboard, and teased her by telling that I will tell father that she uses diapers. That was when I was five.

When I turned 11, I had a very bad stomach-ache and refused to go to school even when it was the first day after summer vacations and attendance was necessary. My mother did not understand the reason for it, but however let me stay.  Then I had my first periods.

Seeing myself bleeding, I was scared, and my mother was unable to believe that I had started my periods so early. However, she handed me an old cloth and bought a packet of pads for she had already attained menopause.

I wondered for days why it happened. My mother did not talk about it, and my father was not supposed to know about it. It was finally after a month or so, that my sister explained the process to me. And then I realised, wow! My body is so interesting. Biology had never been an interesting subject for me, but periods made it exciting.

Today, I’m a fifteen-year old ninth class student who openly talks about periods with her teachers and friends and whom everybody approaches when they forget a pad. It is like a trend; if you have forgotten a pad, come to me; either I will give you one or ask it from the teachers for you.

Every month, before my periods start, I take a round and say sorry to all my friends for any stupidity I will do in the next five days, for I have terrible mood swings. I, without hesitation ask my teachers, irrespective of the fact whether they are male or female, to go to washroom and change, thanks to my sisters. I even go to temples and in puja rooms to say hello to the gods, except, of course, when I don’t want to.

I go on educating my close male friends about periods so that they understand the pain I and other girls go through, and instead of making fun of us, they help us.

Today, when most of the girls are scared to talk about periods in school, or feel disgusted, I come up and talk about it openly. I don’t feel as if it is some kind of wrong thing. It is a part of your system. Like digestion and respiration. Who I would really like to tell this are the parents who shush their children on the very talk about sex and periods, and by the time they are ready to talk, their children either already know about it, or are unable to understand anything. For example, I found on a website, a boy asking why he hasn’t got his periods while his twin sister has already started. So, parents, please, open up, educate your children; we really need it.

Now, girls in their teens or for that matter who are even older and shush themselves at the topic of periods: there is nothing wrong in bleeding. It happens to every single woman. Instead, enjoy; we’re growing up. And plus, we usually get the special treatment during this time. In India, yes, there is always a hesitation in talking about periods, but that doesn’t make it non-happening. Plus, we pray the bleeding goddess at the Kamakhya temple. It is another topic that girls are not allowed to enter there during this period. God, I guess there needs to be more education.                                                                                                                         

Girls, it will happen, we will have periods, till we achieve menopause.  Enjoy it till it lasts. Don’t make it a taboo. Of course, there will be moments during the period you won’t want to talk about, but don’t make it non-existent, because it is not.

Enjoy it, embrace it. Love it. Because this is one of the things that makes you a woman.