Schools in Dubai devise novel ways to tackle stress

The Indian High School, Dubai, which is known for its top rankers for CBSE exams, has devised novel ways to alleviate student stress. The school stated: "We strongly believe in the idea of psychological uplift and pet therapy is our way of doing it. We bring in cats and dogs to the school campus around exam time and encourage students to interact with these animals as it helps lift their spirits, reduces the feeling of isolation and alienation and most importantly encourages communication.

"Also, our highly qualified and trained specialised teachers and counsellors actively meet students outside the classrooms and advise on the action course to overcome fears and frights. This activity is student-centric and works on an individual-based model," the school said in a statement.

Giving tips to parents to keep students stress-free during exams, Piyali Gupta, counsellor at Gems Our Own Indian School, said making sure that the child studies regularly throughout the year would be helpful. "There is no doubt that regular study - with a systematic approach to every subject and lots of practice is the best way to prepare for exams. However, when your child is just a few weeks away from exams, instead of crying about what he/she hasn't done and drowning in anxiety, the smart thing to do is to utilise the time left effectively and help your child to obtain the best possible score.

She added: "Sleep is just essential because a tired brain cannot learn and remember like it should. Give your child a peaceful clean space to sleep in and do not nag him. Also, studying for long periods can cause the stress levels to rise terribly. To avoid this, allow your child to take frequent short breaks when he/she is studying. Doing physical exercise when he takes a break is ideal. Parents must also ensure their child isn't skipping meals and is eating on time. Also, make sure to avoid junk food as it can lead to sickness and lethargy."

Counsellor at The Central School, Dubai, Seshagiri Rao Joshi said exam anxiety is a condition when the student feels hyperconscious whenever she/he feels they are been observed/tested/inquired. "Sometimes if the child is unable to match the parents' expectations, he or she experiences anxiety because of their rejection.

Parents should regularly spend at least an hour with the child, talk to his teacher, encourage the child to take part in extra-curricular activities, and ensure the child eats meals along with all family members."