Real purpose of SEA exam

Ali Baksh

RECENTLY, a few of my colleagues and I sat down after work trying to figure out a math question from a past SEA examination math paper. Honestly, I thought I was solving a problem for my PhD programme. Then it got me thinking: why are we as a society putting an average 11-12-year-old through all this amount of stress for an examination?

As we are in the SEA season, I could only imagine the strenuous preparations carried out by the parents, teachers and of course the children themselves. From extra lessons to no free time for extra-curricular activities. From early to bed, early to rise to eating the healthiest foods that would perhaps stimulate the brain to remember every morsel of information possible.

However, as a clinical psychologist I could imagine the amount of pressure, stress, anxiety and possible depression; just to name a few that these young children have to endure. From as early as infancy, you would find that some children’s school bag is both bigger and heavier than they are and now as Standard Five comes to an end they are faced with an examination for the purpose of school placement. Unfair? I think so.

Children would often adopt negativistic thoughts such as, “If I don’t pass this exam, I would not pass for my first choice” or “If I don’t do well, mommy and daddy will beat me.” It’s sad that this is the reality of these children and it’s sad that we as a society are putting them through this.
I remember a few years back a parent saying if her child didn’t pass for her first choice, she might as well never come back home. What’s even sadder is that it was the first choice of the mother and not the child. As a result, these children are now faced with a series of unexpected symptoms. both physical and psychological.

Now many may argue that the examination is, in fact, a good thing or that there are no other alternatives but aren’t we an intelligent enough society to think of one?
It is well studied that children with high levels of anxiety perform poorly in their exams, no matter their age. The pervasiveness of anxiety in primary schoolchildren is on the rise and it’s fairly common for children preparing for the SEA exam. Not to mention the transferring of the anxiety and pressures from the teachers and parents onto the child.

So, knowing that these children have to face such an examination, what can be done to better prepare them both mentally and emotionally to deal with it?
The resilience of a child goes a long way. It can reduce the negative effects of anxiety on performance. Specifically, children who believe they can do well, trust and seek comfort from others easily can be better at managing the problems associated with anxiety.

Parents may therefore help their children by attempting to nurture and boost their resilience and not bestow their anxiety on their children. Both parents and teachers should also keep a conscious check of how they may subconsciously transmit feelings of stress or anxiety to their children. Children who demonstrate such anxiety may require more space to breathe both at home and at school.

Now for you the children who will be sitting the SEA exam tomorrow after preparing tirelessly for it, here’s what you can do:
Don’t aim for perfection: Exam stress is often the result of worrying about making mistakes. Try not to worry, it’s an examination and no matter what school you’re placed at, it’s what you decide to make of it that matters.
Generate a positive state: One of the biggest predictors of behaviour is your internal state. If you feel good and act good, you’ll be good. Fill your mind with positivity and good thoughts; remember, you’re the master of that examination.
Close your eyes, breathe deeply and calm your muscles and mind. Do this for three-five minutes. You’ve come far, you’ve trained hard. All the long hours with past papers, the giving up of the television and video games are about to pay off. Remember it’s your exam. It’s your moment to shine; make the most of it. In the end, whether it’s first choice or not, you’ve done your best and that’s something to be proud of.
Finally, as a society, we can ask ourselves what’s the real purpose of the SEA examination. Is it to place the child in the seven-year school that we want them to go to? Or is it unconsciously creating an organisation of stressed-out and anxious children?

Ali Baksh is a clinical psychologist