Students resort to drugs to overcome exam pressure- CTU
View(s):The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said last week that competition among schools to outshine one another at public exams is creating tremendous stress among schoolchildren, driving them to drugs. It said there is a push from the Education Ministry on schools to produce outstanding results, because of which teachers, parents and children are under stress.
CTU General Secretary, Joseph Stalin said this in response to last week’s incident where around 41 students including 7 girls in a school in the Medirigiriya Education Zone were allegedly caught with drugs. The teacher called the police, following the unusual behaviour of the students who had cut marks on their bodies.
Mr Stalin said that, schools, in addition to their regular classes, are conducting extra classes in the mornings and evenings for students preparing for the Grade 5 scholarship exams, Ordinary Level exams and Advanced Level exams. “As a result, there is no other extra curricular activities for the children. They are stressed out,” he said.
“This has put them under pressure and they are seeking channels to release that pressure,” he said. Another contributing factor is the the lack of qualified counselors in schools, to help students under stress. “Usually, a teacher without a timetable, functions as a counselor, which does not help students reduce their stress levels,” he said.
- Chrishanthi Christopher