Extra classes

The amount of things teachers need to cover in a syllabus each year is a lot, and more often than not, teachers find themselves either rushing to finish the syllabus by the end of the year, or having to conduct extra classes during school holidays.

Teaching exam classes is a whole different issue altogether. Besides having to worry about the syllabus, teachers constantly worry that students are not given enough exercises and lessons to prepare them for the public exams. The pressure is intensified with the knowledge that teachers need to answer to the school administration if their students fail to achieve the target set by the school early on in the year. Thus, many teachers, whether they like it or not, resort to holding extra classes in the hope of helping their students as much as they can. It is a race against time.

I teach in a below-average school. I can safely say that 85% of the students here have poor academic achievements, and have little or no intention of improving the grades in their report cards. However, the school still needs to achieve the target it has set each year, as the district education office will monitor all schools in the area. If we ever fall below the intended target (which we always do), official visits from education officers of all levels can be expected at our school. So far, we have had officials as high-up as the Education Ministry come down from Putrajaya to inspect and "guide" us, although I'm sure if they ever volunteer to teach our students for even a month, they will face the same problems as the teachers do.

Despite this, policies are still policies, and teachers are still required to achieve the intended target. Therefore, the need for extra classes. The school has made it compulsory for the best students of Form Three and Five to attend extra classes which start from 7am to 7.30am before school from Tuesday to Thursday. Then, after school from 3pm to 4pm, all Form Three and Five students are required to attend extra classes as well. Not to forget the co-curricular activities they need to stay back for when there is no extra class! The poor students can't even have a decent lunch as the canteen is closed. I wonder how much their tired minds can absorb during that hour. Of course, the teachers themselves are exhausted too... Surely, this does them more harm than good!

Almost every day, these students are in school from 7am to 4pm. That's as long as an average person spends in an office! No wonder they can't wait for the school holidays. And when that time comes, all they want to do is to forget about studies. Hence the poor attendance in holiday extra classes. For the past few years, I have travelled for one hour from my hometown to school to teach holiday classes, but the poor attendance was always a disappointment. Sometimes, I do not have the heart to blame these students as this is the only time they can take a break from their stressful routines during school days.

That's why this year, I've decided not to have extra classes so my students can have the rest they deserve. Hopefully when they return to school next week, they will be eager to start their lessons again with fresh minds and renewed enthusiasm. And hopefully, I can see a better passing rate in English this year!