With the Ministry of Education primed to release the results for this year’s CSEC and CAPE examinations today, there is one question that will inevitably arise; are students in Guyana writing too many subjects?
As the years go by, we are seeing an increase in the number subjects that students are choosing to sit. This phenomenon has sparked many to comment on the personal lives of such students, voicing that it must be impossible for them to have a ‘balanced’ education. It is as though we believe the two are mutually exclusive. Once you write a large number of subjects, you have to forget any of your hobbies, sports or volunteer work. In the eyes of the public, all you do is study. Can you see how unfair such a presumption is?
The notion that there should be a cap on the number of subjects that students can write, backed by this idea that they need a more rounded education is infuriating. Think about it like this, what if we told our athletes that they should only run five races a year, or should only do one kind of sport- because in college, you’re only going to focus on one anyways- and should instead take that free time, and develop their skills in art. Yes, athletes do have to maintain minimum grades, but no one seems to be concerned about how much they tax themselves out, how many hours per week they spend training, how much of their “childhood experience” they are losing. Yet everyone is preoccupied with if the ‘top’ student even had a life. Did they go out, how long did they study for each night, how much did they sleep?
In my opinion, everyone should have to reach certain minimum requirements, such as grades, physical activities per week, join at least one school club, and yes, even have to explore music, art and culture. However, none of us should dictate how far any of us decides to further anything once those minimums are met. And while, I do agree in some cases subjects may ‘seem’ unnecessary, and yes the numbers are becoming increasingly higher, I do not believe that it is any of our business. Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do. Whether it is for fame, to increase their chances of getting a Government scholarship, or just for the pure love of studying, it’s their decision. There is no specific ‘normal’ childhood. There is no one way that we should all live.
And just to clarify, yes those of us, for example myself who wrote seventeen subjects, do have a life. Like any teenager, I frequent the movies on the weekends, I spend way too much time on Netflix, and I procrastinate whilst voraciously utilizing social media any chance I get. In terms of extra-curricular activities, I can definitely say that I haven’t sacrificed any. I’m part of many clubs in school, I volunteer, and I even swim and practice art in my free time. And I’m not alone. Fellow colleague Victoria Najab, earlier this year, explained that she was able to sit her twenty-one subjects whilst also maintaining a healthy sleep cycle, playing table tennis, swimming, dancing and participating in a beauty contest.
So yes, while it may seem like students are writing more and more subjects, many times we’re doing it of our own free will. It’s our choice if we want to write both business and science subjects- maybe we just haven’t decided between the two? Stop assuming that people sacrifice extra-curricular activities for ‘extra’ subjects and open up to the idea that maybe it’s possible to do both.
