Final exams were approaching, and like any diligent student, my son, an IGCSE Grade 9 student, had his revision plan prepared based on the exam start date given in the school calendar. After all, we had been advised to refer to it for accurate scheduling. Everything seemed structured and well-planned—until one evening, my son came home exasperated.
“Guess what? The final exams are being preponed by a week, and now we have just two weeks before they start!” he announced.
I blinked. “Wait, what? Who said that?”
“The class teacher told us today,” he sighed. “No explanation, just—‘probably’ a week earlier. That’s it.”
I could see the frustration bubbling up in him, and honestly, I felt it too. How does one just casually drop a bombshell like that without any reasoning?
Later that evening, the official exam timetable was shared by the school, and what I saw left me stunned—it looked like a marathon schedule! Two exams on most days, with one day even having three! No study leave, no breaks between exam days, and just a half-hour gap between actual written exams. I was at a loss to understand the intention behind such a demanding schedule and the way it was (un)planned and administered. How could the school expect students to perform at their best under such conditions?
Feeling responsible for getting some clarity, I reached out to the Principal. The exchange of emails that followed left me even more baffled. The school promotes an open-door policy, but my previous experiences—and this one—did not align with that claim.
First, the Principal was completely unaware that the exams had been preponed. He firmly believed that the dates in the school calendar and the newly announced ones were the same. It took me sending him a screenshot of the school calendar to prove otherwise. And instead of acknowledging the oversight, he simply insisted that I had somehow missed an update—an update that, to the best of my knowledge, was never actually sent—and one the Principal himself couldn’t specify. The conversation turned into a never-ending loop of avoidance and deflection. Frustrating? Absolutely! But, more than that, it was disappointing to see this approach coming from the Head of an IB school in the city.
This experience left me with a crucial realization: when a person in an authoritative position resorts to denial or defensiveness, rather than addressing concerns, there’s little point in trying to have a productive conversation.
Through my son, I witnessed firsthand how a student can feel unheard and voiceless in a school setting. It made me realize how crucial it is for educators to create a space where students feel valued, respected, and encouraged to express themselves. When a child’s voice is ignored, it impacts their confidence, learning experience, and overall well-being. Every student deserves to be heard.
While this may seem like a minor issue for the school to acknowledge, the larger concern is undeniable. The recent student suicide in Kerala is a heartbreaking reminder of how academic pressure can spiral out of control. If schools continue to impose unrealistic schedules without considering students' mental well-being, aren’t we just feeding into a dangerous cycle?
So here’s my question: Are we actually prioritizing students’ learning and mental well-being, or have exams just become an administrative checklist to rush through?
As parents, educators, and stakeholders, we have a responsibility to ensure that exams are structured in a way that supports students—not exhausts them. Transparent communication, thoughtful planning, and student-friendly scheduling shouldn’t be nice-to-haves—they should be the norm.
Fellow parents and students, have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? How do you think schools can handle exam schedules better? Let's voice it so we can raise children who are not only academically strong but also grow up with strong self-worth and confidence.
- Asha Suresh
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