Pressure (Part 1)

Academic pressure is something that is widespread and common among students; particularly those who are raised in Asian culture. It is not uncommon to hear Asian parents telling their children that they must do well in school, academically, or they will face the consequences, be it by corporal punishment or even something as simple as lectures upon lectures ending with the cold shoulder. Even so, is this the best way for dealing with children that are still learning about the ways of life?

The key to success is often found in education; that is what we have been told since we were young. There is no denying that our parents are definitely right. Education opens up an infinite amount of possibilities, and it is only understandable that parents push their children to be better so that they will be able to build a better life and brighter future. Parents often do all they can to ensure their children get a good education, including working late nights and pulling long hours in the office for years.

Even so, top universities nowadays require more than just grades. They want the prospective student to have a holistic development, something I believe is still lacking in Malaysian students. How many students actually want to go for extra-curricular activities such as clubs and house practice? Many would prefer the comforts of home with a book; something that their parents would also rather they do. It’s not surprising to hear parents discouraging their children from going either, they are more focused on grades; which in return creates a lot of pressure on the child.

Many parents want their children to excel in exams, and be the top student in their class or form; often taking to yelling to them when they get questionable results despite going for tuition. It is a comprehensible frustration; what is the point of sending your children for extra classes if they still can’t do well in school? Even so, it is up to the child to ensure that he or she is paying attention and absorbing all the information the teacher is putting out. It is when parents create an unbearable amount of pressure on them that they start to act out.