The best perhaps is eight year old Anju's, who is of the firm opinion that, `` We should have school only on one day of the week and that is on Wednesdays and for just two hours please.'' Why so ? I enquire and pat comes the reply, ``Because Wednesday is the day we have one hour of games followed by an hour of Yoga and those are the only classes worth attending.'' Simple isn't it, and as Anju continues, ``If there must be school, the subjects should only be art, craft, dance and music.'' Now wouldn't that be a great idea. I wonder why it never struck any of us at all to come up with such a brilliant plan. Cut out monotonous Geography, boring History and of course that terrifying Maths. Hands up, all those who agree with me.

Poulomi and Ashraf, both eleven, don't have such a drastic plan. They love school because it gives them an opportunity to meet up with friends but they suggest to make us do it. For example, the lesson on Post Offices is so boring, but if we were to go there, buy stamps and envelopes, write the address, post the letter, that would be great. We'd get the real feel of the thing and never ever forget it.''

Chandana has another scintillating idea. ``It would be wonderful if we could have different ways of expressing whatever we have learnt. History can be so boring and tedious to mug up with all those hundreds of dates. But suppose we could enact those scenes from History and feel what those people must have felt, History would have far greater meaning.'' We understand what you're trying to say Chandana, Rana Pratap and Akbar and Chandragupta I or II or the rest wouldn't just be vague badly printed pictures to learn about by rote. They would have colour and smell and voices of their own, conveying their fears, their longings their aspirations.

Continues Pragati, ``English can be made so much more interesting. What is the use of reading story after story in Literature and then answering questions on them which only test your memory ? Wouldn't it be better to make us write creative pieces using our own imagination? And please not those same old ones about `How I spent my Diwali vacation' or `My Pet' or `Festivals'.

And oh yes, all of them vote strongly for a lot more extra-curricular activities. Poulomi is satisfied because everyday they get two whole periods of this - one of which is games. But Fiona and the rest aver that there should be something like this in their schools too. They need something to activate their young blood which becomes so sluggish sitting behind a desk the whole day long.

And finally, we come to that dreaded word - EXAMINATIONS. The decision is unanimous. ``No, no, no,'' they all wail in unison. Examinations should be banned, deleted made, illegal. They are studying the whole year through, they are regular with their homeworks, they answer brightly in class. Why can't they be assessed on that? Why do they have to be subjected all the times to the tension of examinations?

Quips Fiona, `` How can there be proper assessment in exams when so many times students resort to unfair means?''

Poulomi finally agrees on a compromise, ``OK, let's have exams. But only two of them in a year.'' (not this constant Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads).

So kids, let's band together and send your petitions to those grave ole men and women who are formulating these onerous study schedules. Or better still, grow up quick, occupy those chairs yourself and then change the system. Till then - freak out and have a gala kiddies' Day.