Dear Editor,

What are we doing to our young children? The curriculum has changed drastically, they are bringing home hard homework and projects, even the parents are finding them hard to do. Do teachers expect grades two and three students to go on the internet and do research?

What do these seven and eight-year-olds know about people who died long ago and were not National Heroes? I think they are challenging the parents to see what we can or cannot do. It is not fair at all. Some do not even have access to computers. Others do not go to the library. We need to be careful of the work we are giving these young minds. Making models of cars, the lungs, windmills, wind vanes and dining sets are a bit too extreme.

Something needs to be done, because we went to school without doing these projects and we fared out well. We never missed out on much as far as I am concerned. Again I say, we need to review the teaching taking place in some primary and preparatory schools, especially for the very young. Where will they get time to study for the Grade Diagnostic Test and Grade 4 Literacy Test? Remember the preparation of the GSAT starts from Grade 4. Where are they going to get time to prepare for this? I am concerned for our young children.

Jeena Jay

tenajj224@yahoo.com