DURING examination time, attention naturally turns to marks, revision, grades and academic performance.
Yet behind every examination paper is a learner who may be carrying a burden that is invisible to everyone around them. For some, the examination period may coincide with menstrual pain, pregnancy, grief, anxiety, sickness or difficult family circumstances.
The pain that cannot always be seen
For some girls, examinations may coincide with their menstrual period. Menstrual pain can bring stomach cramps, headaches, tiredness, nausea and difficulty concentrating. Imagine trying to answer a difficult examination question while experiencing severe pain.
Teachers and parents should create an environment in which girls can talk about menstrual challenges without embarrassment and receive appropriate support. Menstrual health should not
be dismissed as a minor issue, particularly when a learner is expected to concentrate for several hours in an examination room.
Pregnancy during examinations
Another silent challenge facing some school-going learners is pregnancy. A pregnant learner may experience tiredness, nausea, emotional changes, physical discomfort and anxiety while preparing for examinations.
She may also be worried about what other learners, teachers, parents or members of the community will say. This can add an emotional burden to an already demanding period.
This is a time when support, dignity and responsible guidance are important. Pregnancy should not automatically mean the end of a learner’s education. Schools, parents and relevant professionals should work together to support the learner’s health, education and future.
When examinations meet grief
Examinations do not stop when someone dies. A learner may lose a parent, grandparent, sibling, relative or someone they deeply love just before or during examinations.
Such a learner may sit in the examination room, but their mind may be occupied by grief. Telling them simply to “forget about it and concentrate” may overlook the reality of what they are experiencing.
Grieving learners may need understanding, counselling and emotional support. Their emotional state can affect concentration, memory and their ability to perform at their usual level.
Sickness and family circumstances
Some learners write examinations while they themselves are sick or while someone close to them is seriously ill. A learner may be worried about a parent in hospital, dealing with their own illness or experiencing physical pain.
These circumstances can affect concentration and academic performance. A decline in marks may therefore sometimes reflect a deeper personal struggle rather than a lack of effort or ability.
What parents and teachers can do
n Listen to the learner and create a safe environment for honest communication.
n Avoid immediately judging poor performance without first understanding the circumstances.
n Take menstrual health seriously and provide appropriate support.
n Support pregnant learners with dignity, responsible guidance and appropriate professional assistance.
n Give grieving learners emotional support and allow them to access counselling where necessary.
n Pay attention to signs of serious emotional, physical or psychological distress.
n Refer serious health or emotional concerns to qualified professionals.
There is a human being behind every examination number
As the examination season continues, parents, teachers and communities should remember that academic performance is only one part of a learner’s life. There is a human being behind every examination number and that human being may be dealing with circumstances that are not visible from the classroom or examination desk.
Instead of asking only, “Why are your marks going down?”
Sometimes, we should also ask: “What are you going through?”
Academic success is important, but the wellbeing of the learner matters too. Supporting learners through the silent struggles of examination time is not a distraction from education; it is part of helping them succeed.
n Dr Manners Msongelwa is an author, educationist and youth mentor. He can be contacted on +263 771 019 392
