AN OPEN LETTER TO CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS .

This is an open letter to the Cambridge International Examinations after the results that came out in the past few days. I just want to simply express my opinion as to how I felt after receiving my grades. Please feel free to share it.

It is so easy for you to quantify us with us a single lower case letter. It is so easy but you don’t know how the student feels. That letter is a brand on every students back regardless whether it being and A, B, C or D. It completely dehumanises every student in every single way possible to a single meaningless lower case letter. The esteemed system that is Cambridge international Examinations vows to be truly fair and just while dealing with these grades that determines every student’s life. Why wouldn’t it be? Surely they know that every student slaves away whenever the season comes around when their life is completely hijacked by tuitions and their studies if it hasn’t already been since the start of year. Surely they must know that these grades either crush their hopes of going to a good college or further elevates them? Then why don’t you give students the grades they truly deserve? The grades that work day and night for and still those students who have every right to an A must dread the thought of getting back their results because they don’t know if the examiner marked them properly. The daily mail UK published in an article that 122,500 children appealed for their grades to be overturned in the year 2015 and 23,200 had their grades changed. What do you say to the rest of the 99,300 who felt they did not receive the grades that they studied for? What do you say to a young adult whose hopes and dreams of going to his or her dream university have been crushed because the examiner marked them half-heartedly, not giving a flying fuck because to them we are just a single lower case letter. What do you say to an individual who wanted to enjoy his or her last year in school but can’t because they have to give retakes of the same subject they spent hours learning just so they wouldn’t have to face a situation like this?
The Cambridge International Examinations are a business plain and simple. It is the truth that every student who goes through this godforsaken system knows. You don’t believe me? Well ask any student whose ever had to get their paper re-checked. The systematic way all the levels of checking have been set almost makes a person believe that they give you a shit grade purposefully so that you have to go through that demeaning and painful process, so that they earn an extra buck. 
Finally this is to all those students that have been disheartened by the grades that they received, DON'T LOSE HOPE. You are meant for great things in life, a single lower case letter does not define you; don’t let a grade define you, because that is not you.

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PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THET ARE STRONGER THAN THAN BLUE WHALE GAME SHOULD READ THIS

On the Blue Whale game:
I think people often get the causality of things like this a bit wrong. The idea that a game, challenge, or app by itself can convince you to self harm or commit suicide is fairly absurd. The power that something like this has can only be on someone who's predisposed or struggling with the commission of such acts anyway. You have to ask yourself: do people self harm because they play games like this, or do they play games like this because they already feel like committing self harm?
Which is why it's a little more important to turn our eyes away from transient trends like this to the mental state that enables them - the challenge will fall into obscurity within a month; the struggle with depression, or suicidal tendencies (and I am tempted to say 'within adolescents' here, but such a limitation would be both counterproductive and misleading) are not.

If you know someone going through that, don't shun them. Our society does a good enough job at either ignoring mental illnesses entirely, or portraying them as crises of faith; be open, be understanding, and be supportive, regardless of the emotional toll it takes on you - you might be able to take it; they might not.
And if you're going through that yourself (or do so in the future), please reach out to whoever you feel comfortable talking to, whether that's someone close to you, or a stranger. Personally, my door is open (should you feel comfortable talking to me about it) and if anyone feels like sharing this, it's an indication that theirs is too, no matter how little we talk. Self harm and suicide are never the answer. And if you're reading this, regardless of whether we're close or not, regardless of whether we have even ever met or not: I want you to live.

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CONFESSION OF A STUDENT AFTER A SUICIDE ATTEMPT

Recently i tried an attempt to suicide, but luckily I survived.
I wish I was able to move out but the only funds I have are enough to pay tuition. My parents stress me out... especially my mom. The other day she got angry at me for refusing to eat quinoa and flipped the plate with my other food on it while I was eating after I did what she asked and added quinoa. I started crying and she got angrier and took the quinoa that was left on my plate and smeared it all over my face and hair and pushed me to the ground. I tried to tell her that the reason I didn't want to eat it was because I liked the other food she cooked when she said I don't appreciate her cooking. She told me if I wanted to leave like my sister, I should just leave. By God's grace, even when I felt heartbroken, I had strength to wipe my tears and carry on the day with silence. I cleaned the mess and went to my room to study for my test. I just hope it doesn't get as bad as that one time when I'm studying full time. Sometimes, I'm just tired and may be rude or act irritated to my mom so I may roll my eyes or my tone would be wrong but it does not excuse punishment out of rage whether it's physical or emotional... I envy the people who have it good with their parents but I'm also happy for them that they don't have my life

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DID A SCHOOL (LGS) JUST TOOK A LIFE OF A YOUNG WOMEN?

Those of you who are blaming the school and it's teachers for Maryam's death, stop criticizing the education system. Every school has it's policies and if you don't follow these policies you will definitely face disapproval from the admin. Scolding students for entering the class 5 minutes late and not completing their attendance requirement is only helpful to them in long term. I'm not saying that school was right to not support her on her choices but that is not the only reason for the depression she suffered from. If a student passes away it does not necessarily mean that the education system she studied in was flawed. I might sound heartless while saying this but her mother (maybe due to her emotional state) is only pointing out the negative aspects of school, what about the activities in which school totally supported her (directly or indirectly)? Every student goes under some kind of pressure in school but school cannot individually cater each student's mental health needs, it's primarily PARENT'S responsibility to take care of their child's mental health.

Also the irony is; there is huge difference in Maryam's mother's attitude. The last time we listened to her at prize distribution ceremony she said she was thankful to the school and stated that her daughter was a depressed child who needed your love and you all gave it to her and referred to us as "my Maryams". No idea what has changed her mind now.

We believe whatever we hear on media and start promoting it without knowing the complete facts. There is also stuff we hear from her close friends; like she was depressed due to family issues which forced her to take anti-depressants and she did not get as much attention from her mother as a child should usually get. Then why are we neglecting these statements. If you really want to evaluate the causes of someone's death then look at all the factors first. She was a daughter, friend, cousin, niece and much more than just a student. A young student's death does not mean that the school took away her life!

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