Differences In School Pressures & Expectations

School pressures and expectations remains the same for youth around the world, however it varies from country to country based on their systems. In China, school pressure is very common for students because education is highly competitive. Most students start school early in the morning for reading classes at around 7 a.m. and stay until 9 or 10 p.m. for evening self-study sessions. In addition, many students only have one full day of rest each week, while Sunday evenings are usually go back at school. Both students and parents expect high exam scores because even one point can affect the chance of entering a good high school or university. As a result, studying becomes one of the biggest parts of students’ daily lives.

From my personal experience, I often feel tired and stressed because of the long study hours and heavy homework. Sometimes I sleep less than six hours a day because I need to finish assignments and revise for exams, especially during important school years. During the short ten-minute breaks between classes, I often use the time to take a quick nap because I do not have enough rest at night. Compared with students in some other countries who have more free time and extracurricular activities, I spend most of my time focusing on academic performance. My parents also expect me to achieve good grades so that I can enter a good high school and university in the future.

In my opinion, the Chinese education system teaches students discipline and hard work, which can help them succeed in the future. However, too much pressure can also affect students’ mental health and reduce their free time for hobbies or family activities. Culturally, Chinese families often believe that education is the most important way to achieve a stable and successful life. Because of this belief, both schools and parents place very high expectations on students. I think finding a better balance between academic success and personal well-being would make students healthier and happier.

-Siwon Shon, China

In contrast to china's school days with double digit hours for schools, the academic routine for Pakistan is completely different. A typical school day here lasts about 5 to 6 hours. Sometimes it extends to 7 hours when theres more to do but thats the max limit which means we get to wake up with complete 8 hours of sleep and head home from school with most of the day ahead of us. While chinese students spend most of their day in school sometimes even eating their breakfast and lunch in school, students in Pakistan only need to give almost 1 to 2 hours sometimes 3 studying at home before enjoying the rest of the day. Apart from that pakistan gives weekends to rest and enjoy ensuring our lives daily do not revolve around textbooks.

The difference in intensity becomes more obvious when exam season arrives. While me and my friends definitely study harder in the exam season we dont study like our life depends on them. We prioritize good rest and well being. However even in Pakistan there are small but noticeable parental and societal expectations which cause many students to stress out a lot. Despite those expectations the study seems absolutely fine and completely manageable and not suffocating in schools especially during board exams, the pressure peaks because these results change a students life by leading to admissions in good collages and universities. Securing a spot in a top university is essential as it helps us find better jobs and helps us with future financial stability. This is why many students work extra hard to push their limits specifically to score high enough to go abroad for better and higher education

Even though the educational landscape in Pakistan might have it its own flaws and might feel unfair and currupt, it is less stressful and actively allows us to live our teenage lives to the fullest. Culturally, While both of the countries want to achieve a better future and acedemic success, Pakistan's environment doesnt demand that we sacrifice our mental well being to get there. The freedom we maintain outside of school ensures that getting education in Pakistan does not come at the cost of losing our youth as that is the most beautiful age of life.

-Syed Ghafeer Meesam, Pakistan