Name : ____________ Class: _________

The topic I want to cover here has been the hot subject in school these few days, and I don’t have much in the way of scientific data in it. Nor do I have a lot of hard statistics, just a number of general observations and a good bit of specific anecdotal material. The nitty-gritty of what I’m about to write is this: Recently, the school and the management board have received countless suggestions and pleas regarding the exam timetable and marking days. Though I know that the school has done their best to answer our questions, I still want to reinforce the points of the people who wrote in, in the hope that the school will really do something about it.

As the examinations are fast approaching, I believe that the change of timetable is far too impractical. However, I believe that the issue of marking days is still worthy of consideration. Other schools normally give about 2-3 days for marking. The students get to catch up on their sleep, rest, or play after several weeks of hard work and mugging. Without marking days now, I am not sure how the teachers are able to do the marking. Do they do it in between lessons? If there were marking days, teachers would be able to dedicate the whole day for marking, and not just teaching the students, getting to classes on time, sacrificing their lunch breaks to finish marking by the deadline.

Using an example from a blog I came across which belongs to a teacher: “Getting tired and tomorrow and Fri would be marking days but will still have to report to school at the same time. Pray for me. I'm gonna die horribly...I have 8 classes to mark and all marks must be in by Fri !!!!!”

You may refer to an entry dated Wednesday October 12 on http://jovialjoey.blogspot.com.

You may argue that what one teacher feels is insufficient evidence that all the teachers feel that way, more less when the teacher is from a different school. However I think that the teachers are already very stressed up teaching us in the first place, there is a possibility that what that one teacher says reflects on what is going on in the mindsets of the other teachers. It is not only about us, we want our teachers to get some rest too.

Regarding the exam timetable, ________ may be right about letting us experience how the O levels are like and I barely have any complaints about it, though the rest of my friends may not feel the same way. On behalf of the students, I apologise if we have offended you or the school in any way. I hope that you are able to pardon us if we seem to lack self-control and vent our anger inappropriately in the Students Suggestion Scheme.

I have witnessed and heard instances of students saying that whenever they hear some corporate fat cat make noises about how they are too insane to offer true constructive suggestions – listening to the whole issue, recognizing the problems, recognizing what is being done right, and getting involved to help remedy the problem, they can’t help but think that the school management board does not tolerate any view that differs from its own. Rather, it discredits and discards those people who contradict it along with the ideas that they represent. It takes things out of context, twists them around, and then neglects to provide decent referencing so the reader can check up on it. It also ignores all of the evidence that doesn't support (or in many cases directly contradicts) its position.

The students feel choleric and indignant and it has sort of ruined our mood to study but I think we will get over it.

Because of this, the school management has been in a difficult position lately, and I am sorry to add to your burden, but I strongly suggest that you reconsider my suggestion of giving us at least one marking day even if you think that after all the criticisms that you have received, we deserve not more or none at all. I would not be so bold as to ask for two marking days, but I think what we all want is at least one marking day than none at all.

I know that the school management has explained to us about the timetable countless of times, but I did not hear the explanation regarding the marking days.Please reexamine the possibility of my suggestion and even if the school still refuses to give us any marking days,it’ll be sad for us. But at least you know how we feel.

I apologise if I happen to say anything offensive or inappropriate in this suggestion and I look forward to your reply.

Suggestion: Give us marking day/s