Growing up I was considered to be one of the diligent children at school. I submitted my assignments on time, I always completed homework, my grades were always satisfactory and at the end of the year, I was always one of the top students. I was never afraid to give school reports to parents. The other day I came across a video about the discipline that learners have in other parts of the world, and I was most intrigued and surprised by the schooling system in some Asian schools.
Some learners only look at books all day in preparation for university entrance so that they can have a good career and the money that comes with it. It got me thinking about my journey growing up. I considered myself a bookworm because that is all I was good at. I was not good at sports, I could not sing or dance, so schoolwork was my safe place. Looking back, I am grateful that after school I used to play with my friends, watch tv, and play games. Yet I do still feel that I did miss out a bit on the social side because I was also raised in an environment where the academics were used to distinguish who the better students were. Go to school, pass your tests, get into college/university, get a good job and life will be perfect, right?
I have an opinion on the importance placed on academics over mental and social development. I noticed while in university that some students were struggling mentally. Part of it was caused by school stress and the rest was due to limited mental development and awareness. Because schools mainly focus on children passing tests, we ignore the mental stability. We are not raised to understand anxiety, depression, mental breakdown, or exhaustion and how to handle these. By the time you are in university or the professional world you start having mental problems and don’t know how to deal with them. The same goes for social development, by the time you get to the workplace, you don’t know how to hold a conversation. Do not get me wrong, I am not ignoring the differences in personality because I am also an Introvert. Regardless of personality types, everyone can be social to a certain level.
I believe that more importance needs to be placed on developing mental and social knowledge through schooling years. I place emphasis on the schools because a child will spend most of their time in school from kindergarten up to grade 12. Also, children do not come from the same family structures, and school is the safest place for development. Still, if you are a parent, it is your responsibility to decide what you want your child to learn in their young years. Something to think about. I think children should have equal development in academic, mental, and social areas.
