Dear Parents! Don't kill your children's passion by paying heed to others

My parents got me admitted in an English medium school in the early stages of my student career. And mind you I was going well there and had coped very well with the environment of ‘Dhanmondi Tuturial School.’

But when I appeared to 5^th standard madness struck in my parents’ mind, especially in my mothers mind. People surrounding my mother’s small world started to advise her to change my school and get myself admitted in a Bengali medium school as English medium students don’t have any future in Bangladesh.

I ask, then why parents admit their children in an English medium school? They aren’t fools I guess.

Like most typical women my mother had and still has the habit of paying heed to others. She got moved by their words and started pressing me hard for an admission in a Bengali medium school. But I wasn’t agreeing with my mother’s madness as my heart always told me that I’ll finished if I change my school. I had the intention of changing my school also but it should be an English medium school. My choice was ‘Scholastica.’

In the 90’s Scholastica was a very good English medium school and I just believed that I might suit there. My mother didn’t think that. And in the February/March of 1991 I left ‘Dhanmondi Tutorial’ against my wish and got admitted in ‘Dhanmondi Govt. Boys High School’ which is a Bengali medium school.

And mind you I was at bay. Had I been in a Bengali medium school from the start then it would’ve been not a problem. But having had an English medium background for the last 6 years or so it wasn’t a joy ride for this little kid who was apprehensive to start something new with which he was totally alien.

And also, it’s always is tough to start something new in a new school with a total alien books with which I wasn’t at home, in a stage when just 4 and half years were left to complete your school.

I was at bay and never really could gain that momentum which I achieved at ‘Dhanmondi Tutorial.’ I was a better student there and after leaving that school I turned just good but to achieve that good I had to start from the beginning when already my other colleagues were thinking ahead!

None would ever realize what kind of pain and agonies I had to bear while coping up with Bengali terms and so on. I was good at Mathematics in DT but after coming to Bengali medium I became a goat in Mathematics and it remained till my HSC examination. And for this reason I chose to medical science, a profession for the studious group and not me, as my Mathematical strength of DT got dented after I changed school.

 I lost confidence and the zest for studies and till now, I remained just good  as a student.

My mother represents those parents of Bangladesh who indulge their children against their will which isn’t good at all. It’s very important to know what your children wish to do, it’s very important to realise the depth of their passion.

Children who can achieve things according to their passion then definitely they can hit the jackpot than those people whose passion strives due to their lack of interest.

I would never have been a mediocre package if I was in English medium school. At least I would have been a far better student. It’s not that I didn’t study in a better Bengali school but I just couldn’t find any interest with the complex system of the Bengali medium’s SSC or HSC where one had to memorize like a cow by sacrificing creativity. I just didn’t get used with it and I suffered, my dreams suffered and my heart remained upset.

Please don’t press your children this way and make them suffer deep inside. Respect their passion. Try to understand what they wish to be. And please don’t hear what others say but watch and understand your children’s wish. It’s you who have given birth to your children and not the others. Your children are yours and not others property.

Don’t hear the morons.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar