Death Is Not the Answer

Who ever said life is easy? Problems and challenges have become part and parcel of life and if every one decides to die to escape them, the world becomes nothing more than a huge grave.

Though education is an important avenue for the Indians of this country to have better lives, it is not the grades alone which define an individual. Education should be a medium of enlightenment, not something that paves the way to seeing the lights in the after life.

S. Subashini was an innocent twelve year old who was sucked into the realm of death, all in the name of not getting the results she aspired for in her UPSR exam. She is no more. Her death is not going to change the grades she got but is sure going to change the lives of her loved ones.

Who is to be blamed? Many may ask. Well, suicide is something too complex to figure out but with enough common sense it can be prevented. In the case of Subashini, it was her results that brought her to her end, then again, she was only twelve and she had all the time in the world to improve. Students must bear in mind that heroes are made, not born. Those who dare to walk the walk when troubles arise will emerge as victors. There are many aspects of life that one can excel in. You just have to be the best in whatever you do, wherever you are.

Most parents often pressure their children to perform well in exams not as a way of showing tyranny but because of the concern they have for their children. It is when this concern turns into obsession that students tend to break under pressure and eventually perform below their abilities. Students, even the excellent ones, need to be given room to breathe, as modern day schooling can be hectic and taxing with the post school hour activities and extra classes. According to Shenavathey, a teacher from SMK Datuk Mansor, students should be taught to look at life as a whole and at the many positive aspects of life. She says that teachers can make the difference by paying close attention to what students have to say as some students yearn for a shoulder to cry on.

The government, schools and the media should start to be more sensitive to the thoughts and emotions of all students and should not just create an impression that only the ones with the A’s get everything in life. Publicity for those who fare well in exams is good but only as means of motivating all students to do better in their studies as no student should be made to feel out of place regardless of the results obtained.

The nation’s education system should be constantly reviewed in order to ensure that students are provided the right doses of knowledge in the right areas in the right ways. When students get cramped with too much to do, they lose their nerves and instead of performing they bow out. Parents must help students take life as it comes. Good religious and moral values must be imparted in order for the students to become responsible for their actions. Captain Sugumaran, an army officer and a parent from Melaka, feels that there is more to life than just exams. He says that modern day parenting requires lots of patience and openness as children now tend to have more hidden agendas then those from the yesteryears. “In life, we have to keep fighting to achieve goals”, says Sugumaran.

At the end of the day, suicide is not a worthy option to be taken in difficult times. Life is too precious to be thrown away. Young or old, no decision in life must be taken in haste. The price to be paid for a hasty decision can be devastating.