As we progress in the month of October, students have returned to school and whilst it is indeed one of the most critical periods in one’s character development, secondary school years do bring about their challenges. Some students face certain experiences, which may be difficult for them to go through alone, without any support. This is all the more true if they are now transitioning from primary to secondary school. In this article, we will discuss some of these struggles.
Workload
The amount of work which needs to be done steps up a notch as one goes into secondary school. Instead of having one teacher allocating all the homework, now students will need to cater for over ten teachers, each providing their respective assignments. This will require changes in the way students used to work, as they would need to ensure that they are keeping up and managing their time appropriately. This is accompanied by the fact that students will need to plan to study for more exams. Undoubtedly, this brings about certain stress on children as they slowly adapt to the new way of working.
Change of school
As some students transition from primary to secondary, some might change school. This brings with it several challenges as students will need to adapt to a different environment and new classmates which may not be as straightforward as one would expect.
Lack of parent support
For different reasons, children in their secondary school years may feel that they do not get the required support from their parents. This may be due to the fact that their parents would have their own careers to worry about, with very limited time to help out. Parents may also be less available to hear about any problems that children may be going through.
Challenging syllabi
As one would expect, school subjects syllabi become more difficult as the years progress, making studying and homework assignments harder. In anticipation of difficult examinations including O’Levels, things become more stressful both for the students and also their parents. This without mentioning the additional hours and expenses which may be invested in private lessons.
Bullying
If it was not already hard enough, most students would encounter bullies at some point in their life. Bullying can take place in different forms. Some type of bullying can be related to social class, where students victimise others for not having the latest gadgets and luxuries. Bullying can also be expressed via aggression and violence, where students may physically hurt others to showcase dominance. Another example of bullying would be when students tease others by pointing out physical defects or other sensitive personal issues, turning them into a joke.
Secondary school years may indeed be challenging for some. Extend a helping hand and support to any school student who may be passing through such challenges.
