"Judgment Day"

When a major examination is over and the markings are done, the *powers of the college will all gather to decide who will be
- promoted (a status every student is looking forward to obtain)
- advanced (a pretty new 'invention' and technically speaking I can't tell a difference between this and the previous)
- repeating (simply saying the student concerned can't make the mark, but is young enough to be given a second chance)
- superannuated (a premature end, the over-aged student concerned will be asked to leave)

Haiz.. How I wish everyone can be promoted. In reality, it never happens (I still hope it would, one day). This year, we have about 30% not being able to clear the mark (set by the college¹). That works out to be slightly more than 240 students. Yes, we have to discuss these cases one-by-one and hopefully it can be done within a day. At times, the discussion may spill over to the next working-day. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the big administrative workload here. That's another point altogether. It just pains me a little to see with my own eyes how one-by-one² is being judged and literally being "removed" from the register.

I am thinking to myself...
Why after putting in so much effort, the students still cannot make it?
Is it the students' inability to study?
Or should I say it is the inability of the teaching staff to impart knowledge?
These students did not wake up on time?
There are fundamental flaws in the educational system?
These students are tied down by other difficulties³?

Over the years, I can only
- keep thinking about it,
- try to minimize the "casualty-rate".

When the laborious discussion is done, we will then become the bearer of good/bad news. Mm.. How I wish I could announce, "Everyone did very well and all will be promoted."

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¹ Different colleges set different standard of "crossing-lines". *Ahem, here is ironically one of the highest.
² A minority few of these students already expected a negative outcome as they know what kind of effort they have put in, or rather they know they have not done their part.
³ There could be family problem(s), financial problem(s), relationship problem(s), etc.

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Since, I am in the topic of "Judgment Day", allow me to digress a little.
Is it true that only the students went through "Judgment Day"?
Heh.. everyone one of us is being "judged".

In work : we are ranked annually. Subsequently we realize the pay-package can vary due to such ranking.
In family : we are told (usually by our parents) how much nicer our elder/younger siblings are. Nevertheless, parental love and care are still there for us.
In relationship : we are subtly hinted how much better if we can be like that person, doing this and that... Haha..
In friendship : we are told, "you are the bestest pal".

I think, it is quite natural for people to judge/compare, be it explicitly or discreetly.

I ask myself,
Isn't it better if we were to learn to "judge" ourselves (do the necessary corrective measures if need be), before other people were to judge us?
Isn't it better if we were to be less "judgmental" towards others, be more forgiving and to accept the other person as who he is? "Accept" does not necessarily mean we are totally agreeable with the other person. It's merely another level of respect demonstrated, even to person whose ways are much to our dislike.

Have I talked about Judgment Day in the more Biblical sense?
Ha.. other time, perhaps. I got to rush. Today is the day and I am told I can't be late. Mm..