I promised myself to keep some notes henceforth so that I won't be lazy in updating my blog. I hope I can carry it off.
Was reading this morning an interesting new article on Korea. The South of course...nothing exciting happens in the North anyways !
Its seems last week, 600000 students took an exam that would decide their fate and future. They were competing to enter the three major universities in South Korea collectively called the SKY.
The children need to write the CSAT entrance exams and have real high grades to qualify.
So, What's different here? Even India can boast of bigger and tougher exams than this. More than double the students attend those at state and national level.
What caught my attention was the preparations the parents and government did for the smooth conduct of these exams. The government ordered all public and private office to reschedule their timings so that the traffic is light on the roads and easy for students to get tot heir exam halls.The Police ordered a ban on honking near the schools and a teams of volunteers and police units worked as special traffic managers during this time. The US military base stopped live ammunition practices and even flight take offs during this time. The stick market market was told to open late and close early for two days. Even anti- government protesters stopped action for a day.
Churches and Buddhist monasteries across the country held prayer meetings and candle light vigils. In spite of all this sadly more than 1000 children have killed themselves in the last ten years due to the pressure of this exam.
The government's effort to support these children along with the public is really commendable. Really wonder when we would see even an iota of these concerns in India where nobody actually cares for these exams or the pressure put on the children by these evaluations. At high school, your life seems to be judged by the grades of your exams and entrance results rather than your capability and who you are.
In a small way the attitude of the South Koreans have made them one of the biggest industrial powers in the world. Indians need to learn a lesson from them.
Was reading this morning an interesting new article on Korea. The South of course...nothing exciting happens in the North anyways !
Its seems last week, 600000 students took an exam that would decide their fate and future. They were competing to enter the three major universities in South Korea collectively called the SKY.
The children need to write the CSAT entrance exams and have real high grades to qualify.
So, What's different here? Even India can boast of bigger and tougher exams than this. More than double the students attend those at state and national level.
What caught my attention was the preparations the parents and government did for the smooth conduct of these exams. The government ordered all public and private office to reschedule their timings so that the traffic is light on the roads and easy for students to get tot heir exam halls.The Police ordered a ban on honking near the schools and a teams of volunteers and police units worked as special traffic managers during this time. The US military base stopped live ammunition practices and even flight take offs during this time. The stick market market was told to open late and close early for two days. Even anti- government protesters stopped action for a day.
Churches and Buddhist monasteries across the country held prayer meetings and candle light vigils. In spite of all this sadly more than 1000 children have killed themselves in the last ten years due to the pressure of this exam.
The government's effort to support these children along with the public is really commendable. Really wonder when we would see even an iota of these concerns in India where nobody actually cares for these exams or the pressure put on the children by these evaluations. At high school, your life seems to be judged by the grades of your exams and entrance results rather than your capability and who you are.
In a small way the attitude of the South Koreans have made them one of the biggest industrial powers in the world. Indians need to learn a lesson from them.
2 comments:
very true....
but KK... with so much importance given by the whole country for these exams, wont the pressure on the students be even more? I know they are trying to ease this pressure during the exams, but the build up would be just the same.
now the CBSE sylabus has been toned down with this in mind..since only the grades are being printed on the report cards, the pressure to perform only for the written exam is less. The end of term report includes not just the written exam but also that of aptitude in other areas... as a mother of 10th and 9th goer, the pressure is less... not sure if this is good or bad in the long run though :)
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