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Peer pressure is killing

The alarming number of student suicides has once again put the educational system under the scanner. A change in outlook by parents and teachers can help students

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The alarming number of student suicides has once again put the educational system under the scanner.

The blame game between academic institutions and parents notwithstanding, there are many who believe it is time for a complete overhaul of the system. Are children really under too much pressure?  Mallika Sen, principal of Inventure Academy, feels that peer expectations have become too high for students to cope. “Schools and colleges don’t do enough. It is important to connect with the students. Most academic feedback is only about marks. We should single out students who show symptoms of being boggled under pressure, since some of them are more vulnerable and sensitive than others,” she says.

All schools and colleges should employ counsellors. “But more importantly, teachers should also be there for counselling the children. How much can counsellors do,” she asks.
 
Making the right choice
However, some believe the blame lies squarely on parents. Mythili P Rao, director of School of Graduate Studies, Jain University, says it is part of parental duty to take care of the emotional needs of their wards.

“I can’t do it in my college. I have my task and the ones in the college have made their choice. Students have a wealth of choices but are not made aware of it. Parents just want them to become engineers or doctors and many a time, students realise they are doing something they don’t want to do in the first place,” she says.

Intense competition among students is also at the heart of the problem, according to Varun Melanta, director of MVJ College of Engineering (MVJCE).

“The benchmarks are too high. Earlier 90%-95% was enough for a student to secure admission in the best colleges. But now, even a 100% does not do the trick. Spoon-feeding and lack of overall development is the problem here. There are children who take up IIT coaching classes right from 7th standard,” he says.

However, lately, some schools in the city have started placing emphasis on the overall development of a student and not just marks. 
 
Mentoring right
When it comes to keeping a tab on the emotional pulse of the student community, Dr BT Venkatesh, principal of Jain PU College, says that his institution has struck the right balance.
“We have mentoring programmes. A mentor is assigned to every 15 students and every week they get to discuss their progress and their problems. Early correction is better than dealing with consequences and these mentoring classes help the student during their transition from school to college,” he says.
 
Teaching parents
More than their children, it is the parents who are in dire need of some education, according to Syed Sultan Ahmed, advisor to the Karnataka Knowledge Commission.

“Parents want their children to be a combination of Albert Einstein, Sachin Tendulkar and AR Rahman. It’s unrealistic. Schools should organise classes for parents in parenting. They should walk them through case studies, have them debate on various issues. Parents should be counselled and given lessons on being parents.”

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