Wednesday 28 November 2012

Why academics is not everything? - Lawrence High School


We have all heard of the proverb- All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It cannot be truer in times like these when academic pressure pushes the student to the brink. In the face of cut-throat competition where scoring in exams is crucial to one’s career, one must stop and pause to think of what kind of generation are we nurturing where he/she is judged only by the performance in mainstream path.

It is also interesting to note the contradiction in the scenario where there is a lot of talent emerging in fields other than academics and the plethora of opportunities that are available today in various vocations- a thing that was absent a decade ago.  Why then does a Gen Y child feel desolate and depressed when faced with failure in examinations?

The reason could perhaps lie in the fact that while we are transitioning from an academic oriented society to a wider arena where careers in lesser known fields are coming out in the open, the change in the mindset of people is yet to be complete.  A failure in one’s exam is still seen as a blot on one’s life and career- something, that cannot be redeemed.

Educational institutions need to not only integrate co-curricular activities within the syllabus but also to educate students about the possibilities of a career in lesser known fields.  It would also help to facilitate an environment where stress on other vocations is equal, opening up opportunities to bring out other talents in students in areas like sports, music, arts and other creative fields.
 An alternate career-path 
As parents and as a society too, we need to accept that being an engineer, doctor or a chartered accountant is not everything. There are successful people in other fields too. The key lies in discovering your passion at an early stage.  Failure in a particular test does not mean that the person is a failure. Not everybody excels in academics. Each person has a unique talent that needs to be identified and nurtured. And, what better institution than the school could be more equipped to carry out this task?

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