---

Look out! Zhonghua Is Making Headlines!!!

I don't how you would perceive this as good or bad, but Zhonghua indeed is making headlines. Referring to the cover page of the HOME section of 26th May 2008 issue of The Straits Times. The page drew out the time table for the 4N1 class. Well clearly, they didn't want to show the other classes' schedule because obviously the 4N1 schedule is less surprising compared to the other classes. I will have to say my class 4E1 will have comparably more hectic compared to the 4N1 Schedule.

I am not only referring to my own school, the article also mentioned that 25 other schools also had the same plans carried out for their students, especially the graduating students. While others had to only attend a week of extra lessons, Zhonghua being an Outstanding Institution are making the students to study for 2 more weeks.

Some of the reasons mentioned is that this period of time is to prepare the students for the upcoming national exams. Another is to help the weaker students to catch up. For once, I disagree that these are the true reasons behind these plans. Why? Because teachers may have the mindset that extra lessons are to help the students to prepare for the exams, when as a matter of fact, the exams just ended 2 weeks ago, and just this morning we had our O Level paper. Yes, there are still many more papers coming but, we have to sacrifice 2 weeks of HOLIDAY BREAK to prepare for the may not be much longer national exams, emphasising on the BREAK! Actually, what I have gathered and understood, teachers cannot finish the syllables required for the national exams. Right now, for many subjects we are lagging really slowly. For examply, Biology, we have a few major chapter that we have not covered yet, like Inheritance, Molecular basis of inheritance, Organisms and their environment, and we just touched on Cell Division. Well that is for one subject, the rest of the subjects like Chemistry, Physics, Social Studies, Geography Elective, A Maths have not even seen the tail of the syllables. So how can the teachers manage to complete all these syllables during the school term? Moreover, there will be many other activities that may interrupt the smooth flow of teachings like celebrations(National Day, Racial Harmony, Youth Day, etc.) Their eyes are then set on the period of time which students would probably not have anything to do because we are brainless and immature kids. So they planned to make us stay for 2 weeks of extra lessons during the holiday so most of time would be spent on studying rather than playing and making a fool of ourselves. As matter of fact, these lessons should not be called extra lessons because extra lessons are necessary to supplement our learning capabilities rather than making us learn what we are supposed to be taught. I think I would call this Teachers-Cannot-Finish-Syllables-Lessons. Furthermore, since it is extra lessons, the timing should not drag so long that it reaches to as late as 4.15pm, that is one error made by the article, it mentioned that lessons end at 3.15 everyday, when as a matter of fact the last lesson starts at 3.15. The lesson duration are worse than during school terms, when we are released from school at 1.50 and daily extra lessons ends at 3.30pm.

Now, tell me do you think that this is a torture or simply a reason for teachers to "prepare for the exams". AND MRS ELIZABETH LEE IF YOU ARE READING THIS, DON'T YOU COME AND COMMENT BECAUSE THIS AND MY ENGLISH ESSAY ARE WHAT I TRULY FEEL ABOUT THESE TOPICS.