A teacher criticizes the Minister of Education’s claim that student boredom is a primary cause of failure in primary and lower secondary school leaving exams. The teacher argues that the real issue is school refusal, often stemming from anxiety and other underlying problems, not a lack of entertainment in the classroom.

The teacher highlights that students who fail are often absent due to anxiety and school refusal, not boredom. Municipalities with higher failure rates also have higher absentee rates. The focus should be on addressing school refusal, not making lessons more entertaining.

The teacher, who has years of experience and now works with students struggling with school refusal, emphasizes that boredom is a minor factor. Students who fail do so because the system has failed them. Passing exams requires only basic skills and support from competent adults.

The teacher points out the low requirements to pass the exams. In mathematics, students only need to answer a small percentage of questions correctly, focusing on basic skills. In written assignments, the requirement is simply writing reasonably coherently.

The school system is failing to provide even the minimally acceptable level of support. This isn’t due to lazy or bad teachers, but because they are overworked, understaffed, and there is a high turnover rate. A significant portion of newly qualified teachers leave the profession within three years.

The teacher urges the Minister to listen to students, teachers, and those who have left the system. Solving the problem requires addressing the root causes, not just treating the symptoms. The school needs more financial and human resources to provide the necessary support for students to succeed.