Adeela Ismail|Published
AS SOUTH African pupils enter the final school term, examinations and year-end assessments are approaching. But behind the revision timetables and report cards lies another concern: the emotional toll of an exhausting school year.
For many schoolchildren, the final term brings something far heavier than schoolbags filled with textbooks. It brings pressure to perform, fear of failure and the expectation to finish the year successfully.
At home, study timetables are drawn up, revision notes cover tables and parents remind children that these final weeks matter. But amid the constant reminders to study harder, one question is often overlooked.
How are our children actually coping?
By the fourth term, learners have already spent months navigating homework, projects, tests and early mornings. Some approach examinations confidently. Others see them as their last chance to avoid failure or fear disappointing their parents. Many are simply exhausted.
UNICEF South Africa identifies examinations and increasing schoolwork as potential sources of stress among children and adolescents. While some stress can motivate pupils, excessive stress can interfere with wellbeing, concentration and relationships.
The signs are not always obvious. A child may become withdrawn, irritable or argumentative, struggle to sleep, complain of headaches or find it difficult to concentrate. These behaviours are sometimes dismissed as laziness or defiance. Yet what looks like an unwillingness to study may be a child struggling to cope.
What if the child is not lazy or deliberately disobedient? What if they are simply overwhelmed?
The fear of disappointing those they love
Parents understandably want their children to succeed. Many make considerable sacrifices to provide a good education, and those sacrifices often come with expectations.
Reminders to study, warnings about poor results and comparisons with siblings may be intended as motivation. Yet children can hear something different, particularly when they are already worried about their performance. A disappointing mark may begin to feel like a personal failure rather than an academic setback.
There is a difference between encouraging responsibility and making children feel their worth depends on their results. They need guidance and accountability, but also the reassurance that a report card will not change how much they are loved.
Not every child learns the same way
For learners with ADHD, autism, dyslexia or other learning difficulties, examination preparation may bring additional challenges.
A child with ADHD may understand the work but struggle to organise notes, manage time or maintain concentration. An autistic pupil may find changes in routine or an unfamiliar examination environment distressing. Others may need more time or different methods to demonstrate what they know.
These challenges do not mean children lack intelligence or potential. Assessment accommodations are available to qualifying pupils through the Department of Basic Education. At home, shorter study sessions, visual timetables, breaks and realistic goals can help. Fairness does not mean expecting every child to learn in exactly the same way.
When examination stress enters the home
Year-end pressure affects families too. Parents balance work, household responsibilities, finances and school transport, sometimes for several children with different needs. Evenings meant for conversation or rest can become arguments over unopened textbooks and unfinished revision.
Before long, home feels like an extension of the classroom. Parents need not abandon academic expectations, but the way they communicate them matters. A calm conversation may achieve more than an argument. A realistic study plan may be more useful than hours of forced revision.
Schools have a role as well. Teachers face their own deadlines, yet clear instructions, manageable revision guidance and awareness of struggling learners can reduce unnecessary pressure.
Are our children getting enough rest?
During examination season, every available hour can begin to look like study time. But sleep is not a luxury. UNICEF South Africa advises that children aged six to 12 generally need nine to twelve hours a night, while teenagers need eight to ten.
Adequate rest, physical activity and time to relax support wellbeing. Studying late into the night is not automatically productive, especially when exhaustion affects concentration. A walk, a game or a quiet evening should not always be dismissed as wasted time. Rest is part of preparation.
More than a report card
Parents can help by dividing revision into manageable tasks, asking what subjects are proving difficult and acknowledging effort rather than comparing marks.
Instead of immediately questioning children about mistakes after an examination, give them room to talk about how they felt. Occasional nerves are normal. Persistent distress or significant changes in behaviour, sleep or everyday functioning deserve attention and, where appropriate, professional support.
Examinations matter. They assess learning and help determine academic progress. But a report card cannot capture a child's entire ability, character or potential. Some excel in written tests. Others shine through creativity, practical skills or leadership. As the year draws to a close, perhaps success should be measured not only by results but also by whether children retain their confidence and willingness to learn.
When the last examination is written and the books are packed away, children will remember more than their marks. They will remember how they were treated when they struggled. Because long after the marks have been forgotten, the way we made our children feel may remain.
Adeela Ismail is an emerging South African author whose writing bridges the worlds of compelling fiction, meaningful faith-based education, and social awareness. As a writer, she draws inspiration from everyday life and is particularly committed to raising awareness about mental health and the welfare of children. Through her work, she seeks to encourage understanding, compassion, and meaningful conversations around the emotional well-being of individuals and families, striving to leave a lasting impact.