Johannesburg- As the Matric Class of 2021 enter the final stretch of their school careers, having to focus on both their exams and what comes after, an education expert has advised parents to help their children move progressively forward every day by cutting out the noise and doing what needs to get done, regardless of concerns over what may come.
“The end is finally in sight for Matric learners, who now need to remain as focused as possible during exam time, to ensure they achieve the best possible marks to allow them to progress successfully beyond Grade 12,” says Peter Kriel, General Manager at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider.
He also said many students remain concerned about whether they will perform to the best of their ability, whether there might be more surprises coming this year in terms of unforeseen disruptions – whether related to exams or external events – or over what they are going to do next year… Should they register to study further or wait and first see what the environment looks like in February 2022?
All these thoughts can take away Matrics’ attention from what is most important now – focusing on their finals, says Kriel.
“Unfortunately, our children over the past two years have had more than the regular share of concerns senior high learners normally need to deal with, and this has had an impact on the way decisions about the future are made. In particular, forward planning has taken a hit, with many parents and students adopting a wait-and-see approach. This is because significant weight is being given, and allowances made, for future potentialities, which can lead to anxiety, loss of focus and analysis paralysis.
As parents, it remains important to provide guidance and a measure of certainty in this regard, so that children can go ahead and make plans for the future, while keeping in mind that flexibility and resilience may still be needed,” says Kriel.
One way to get focused and feel less anxious, is for parents and students to act on the things they know will happen, even if they don’t know when they will happen, says Kriel.
“Wild speculation about what curveballs may arise is unhelpful and serves no positive purpose. By creating an ocean of calm and certainty about your purpose and direction, knowing that you will handle whatever may arise when it arises, you’ll be able to successfully continue on your road to academic and career success,” he added.
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