The situation in Bolesławiec schools is no different from the Polish norm. Although students are also very critical of themselves, they do not praise online education. Young people report that at I LO there are no physics classes in the physics-oriented classes. At the Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych, students report a problem with teachers who cannot operate the e-learning platform. Instead of vocational placements, there are projects, while the material is overloaded and not taught particularly well. Young people also write about stress and depression, which is the most worrying aspect.

In connection with online education, we decided to examine what the situation looks like in Bolesławiec upper-secondary schools. We asked our peers questions about remote education. Here is what they told us.

“At our school, we have remote lessons in most subjects,” Maja from I Liceum Ogólnokształcące told us. “However, some lessons are cancelled even though they are core subjects. For example, there is no physics in the physics-oriented classes. We do not know how this will affect our final exams,” the student added.

Students at this school also admitted that teachers maintain discipline and make an effort to conduct lessons. The young people take quizzes and tests and receive homework.

The situation at 2 Liceum is similar. Teachers are highly committed to conducting online lessons. They display whiteboards and solve exercises with students. Unfortunately, the students themselves vary in their approach, as some cheat, copy answers, fail to submit assignments and do not log in to lessons.

As people directly affected by the situation, we see the problem from a different perspective. The amount of material is overwhelming, and not everyone can cope with studying. Sometimes turning on the camera or speaking in the class forum involves a considerable amount of stress. Hours spent in front of a computer monitor in isolation have a very negative effect on young people.

Some schools, perhaps unintentionally, have found a partial solution.

At the Zespół Zakonu Pijarów, lessons take place according to the timetable, but there is no religious education. Lessons such as Polish and mathematics last the standard 45 minutes, while secondary subjects often last 25 or 30 minutes.

It does happen, however, that teachers cannot operate the e-learning platform. This problem occurs at the Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych im. H. Sucharskiego.

“We use the Google Meet application, which some teachers find quite difficult to operate,” says Anka. “Certainly, in-person teaching was better and more effective; topics were explained better. But if someone wants to, they can still get something out of these lessons and make up the material independently.”

And what about practical training? We learned that at “Ekonomie” it took place only during the first week; now, in order to complete it, every student has to prepare a project. At the Zespół Szkół Mechanicznych and Zespół Szkół Budowlanych, young people can take part in vocational workshops.

Observing the remote-learning system at our school and talking to our female and male classmates, we concluded that the Polish school system is not prepared for e-learning. In our view, and in the view of other young people, remote education has decidedly more disadvantages than advantages. The issue is not even mastering new technologies or using applications efficiently, but the impact of mobile learning on our future exams.

Weronika, Martyna and Wiktoria from Oxpress

It is also worrying what the high-school girls write about students’ mental health. In the text, they ask adults not to disregard their problems.

Depression or a low mood is a daily problem faced by teenagers. Mental health is a difficult, embarrassing and uncomfortable subject because we fear being labelled, losing trust and being judged by others. The most difficult conversation is usually the one with family, because we fear incomprehension and comments such as: “So what, is that your problem?”, “That’s not a problem,” or “Don’t make such a fuss.”

We do not want to worry our loved ones, while at the same time we idealize other people’s lives and wonder why we cannot live in the way portrayed on social media. Problems grow and accumulate, and the situation becomes increasingly worse. Being left alone with problems is the worst possible scenario. What does it lead to?

The first possibility is avoiding one’s peer environment and limiting contact with others.

Cutting oneself off from people who know about our problem also means avoiding the possibility of being judged and hurt. After all, they know our weaknesses and can always use them against us.

We lose interest in our passions; what previously gave us pleasure no longer brings joy. Problems falling asleep begin, or, conversely, we may sleep all day. We lose our appetite or overeat. We believe that things will never get better, that we are trapped and have no way out of our current situation.

The next sign is directing aggression towards oneself. We may self-harm, usually in places that cannot be seen, drastically restrict the amount of food we eat or binge-eat. These situations are often accompanied by anxiety.

People who need support often cannot ask for help. And the outcome can be tragic. So what should we look out for?

  • A sudden weakening of bonds with family and friends.
  • Giving up hobbies and passions.
  • A significant deterioration in mood, reduced energy and diminished desire to live.
  • Frequent references to death and suicide.
  • Symptoms indicating a decline in self-esteem.
  • Risky, reckless behaviour.
  • Using or abusing psychoactive substances.

How can we help?

First: do not judge or criticize. Do not say, “Everything will be fine” or “Pull yourself together.” Give them a hug. Think about what kind of help you would expect yourself; if you see any solution to the problem, gently suggest it. Offer to visit a psychologist and psychiatrist together. Support positive actions and decisions. Ask kind questions and smile. Remember: support can be found everywhere, not only with family. Call the following telephone numbers:

  • Children’s and teenagers’ helpline: 116 111
  • Helpline for people requiring immediate intervention support: (22) 621 35 37

At the same time, we recommend visiting forumprzeciwdepresji.pl

Wiktoria and Weronika from Oxpress