Stressed-out students share their stories...

I will be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) this year. I have anxiety and was clinically diagnosed with depression at the end of 2019.

When online learning began in March, it was difficult to adapt to it as there were no friends beside me and the workload became overwhelming.

Preparing for the SPM was made harder as we were expected to cram for the exam while being unable to meet face to face with our teachers.

I found the online learning environment not suitable for asking teachers questions, which made revisions difficult. Furthermore, it was difficult to concentrate on the lessons as there were many distractions at home, which was unlike the environment in school.

At times, I felt like I did not want to study as no matter how hard I tried, I felt tired at the end of the day. It was even more perplexing when SPM students were called back to school to sit for the exam, after a year of training us to answer questions online. This drastic switch can be distressing to students.

I hope the public understands that it is not easy to do online learning as a lot of motivation and energy goes into it. It is not an easy feat, and may not be a conducive learning environment for those who are not ready for it. I felt a lack of support and a sense of loneliness, and I hope that adults understand that our mental health is more important than exam results.

My wish is that more initiatives can be taken to better the quality of online education and that the government, teachers, and the community can partner in doing so. — Nurul Rifayah, 18, Selangor

Internet connectivity is definitely a problem for me, especially with apps that require high data consumption. Sometimes the audio quality is poor, if it can at all be heard. It is especially frustrating for subjects such as Additional Mathematics, where every part of the explanation matters.

By the time my connection is stable again, my friends and teacher would have moved on to the next question. Despite having access to the Internet, I find it quite unreliable during peak hours when lessons are usually held. This makes it hard for students like me to experience high-quality learning. I also often get distracted due to the slow Internet connectivity.

The lack of physical interaction resulting from online learning has also impacted me. Some days, I feel lonely, as if I am being educated solely by a computer. There is a craving for interaction with friends and teachers.

I am unable to ask questions properly unlike in a class because it is sometimes hard to explain things without physical examples.

I also feel more anxious about asking questions during online classes compared to physical classes. The poor Internet connectivity makes me feel ostracised as I am sometimes unsure if others can hear me when I am speaking.

I am by nature an anxious person – online learning makes it harder for me as it heightens my anxiety.

Sometimes I am unsure about the explanation to a question, but the teacher is unable to physically see my face to ascertain whether I understood the lesson or not. Recently, our school decided to proceed with the Additional Mathematics trial exam, leaving me feeling severely underprepared as I am a student who is not good at self-studying.

I depend a lot on teachers to help explain things to me. — Zafran, 17, Kuala Lumpur