I never thought I’d say this, but helping my 10-year-old with her homework these days makes me feel like I’m back in school—and barely keeping up.
She’s in a private school, but she follows the national syllabus. And while I appreciate that it’s structured and ambitious, lately I can’t shake this one thought: Is this really meant for a 10-year-old?
The subjects are no joke. Math is filled with complex problem-solving and multi-step reasoning. Science? It’s layered with technical terms I didn’t learn until much later in life. Even Bahasa and English are loaded with comprehension tasks and essay-writing expectations that feel more suited for teenagers than primary school kids.
Now, I’m all for giving children a challenge—of course we want to raise bright, capable minds. But there’s a difference between challenging a child and overloading them. And from what I’ve seen—and what other parents and teachers have shared—it feels like we’ve tipped too far in the wrong direction.
Homework stretches well into the evening. Tuition is no longer an “extra”—it’s a necessity, just to stay afloat. There’s barely time left for play, imagination, or even just downtime. And that worries me. Because children aren’t just mini adults—they need space to grow into who they are, at their own pace.
When did we decide that performance mattered more than understanding? That ticking boxes mattered more than nurturing curiosity?
I’ve sat with other parents who’ve shared the same frustration: that the system feels out of sync with how kids actually learn. That instead of fostering thinkers, we’re creating children who are stressed, anxious, and constantly trying to keep up.
This isn’t about pointing fingers—it’s about asking better questions. Are we really preparing our children for the future? Or are we burning them out before they even get a chance to discover who they are?
It’s time for a serious look at our education system. Not just to make it more rigorous, but to make it right—for the age group, for the realities of today, and most importantly, for the children who are at the heart of it.
Because at the end of the day, education isn’t just about grades. It’s about growth. And our children deserve nothing less.
Azyan.S. (readthirddraft@outlook.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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