Dear counsellor,

I have been studying at a school that my parents suggested for me. However, it’s poor in terms of the quality education, and I’m literally not improving academically, yet I know there other better schools in the country. Please advise how I can convince my parents to let me change school?

Yours, Maureen

It must be extremely frustrating for you to attend a school in which you’re obviously unhappy. However, you need to note that, schools requires a bit of fore-planning and patience with your parents for it can be expensive and inconvenient for your parents as they have to buy new set of books, uniforms and high fees. So you need to be considerate here and make sure it’s done for the right and unavoidable reasons. Sit down and write out a list of pros and cons for switching school and evaluate their implication to your career.

Know that all that parents need is the best Education for their children. You’re probably feeling like your parents don’t respect your position or your reasoning for switching school but they absolutely care about giving you the best. You have to strategise your approach and load it with meaningful content that reflect a comprehensive package of justifiable reasons to pass the message across and convince your parents to buy your idea. Start with the issues that are more obvious and remind them that you’ve already tried to solve them, but nothing has seemed to work. Opening up to your honest feelings of insecurity will create a deeper trust between you and your parents. This could even initiate more sympathy from them, thus creating more of a chance for them to take action.

Research alternative schools and help your parents understand the mental anguish you go through at your current school and how you think a new school will change that.

Make sure that your reasons are mature and well thought out. You have to display your maturity to your parents by keeping yourself composed and never yell at them if thing don’t go the desired direction, but instead, add more developments to your problem and link the new school as a solution.

If your parents see you being calm and rational, they may look at you in a different light and be more willing to accept your reasons to switch school. Be sure to listen and if your parents are still meditating on the best solution to offer, be nice at home by conducting yourself in the most disciplined way. This could alleviate your needs to transfer schools. However, don’t lie to them. If you have to exaggerate certain details, you may want to really consider the moral consequences of changing schools. Do your best to obtain their consent.