My immediate response was "As long as they think they can do it, and they can afford it, then they should go for it."
I remember in the comments section of my report card in primary school, and sometimes in high school, the teacher would write "Very good. Can do better" even when I had exceptional grades.
Parents and other adults would always encourage students to do their best. And any good parent/guardian or teacher would want their child or student to always, no matter what, try their best to accomplish the best they can, or acquire the highest of success that they can achieve. But what if 19 subjects or even 20 Subjects is their best, why shouldn't they strive for that?
"But what will a child do with so many subjects?"
Anything! Literally, anything they want!
With a manifold of more than 10 subjects, you would have incorporated at least 2 fields of study, or streams as we know them. How better would it be to have achieved passed in varying areas of study.
"But don't they know what they want to be? If they know what they want to be, then they should study only that field."
Students usually write most, if not all of their subjects in 5th Form. In 5th Form, you're between the ages of 15-18. At that age you may have an idea of what you want to become, but as you get older, your values and goals change (or are modified). Also, your career choice may change depending on the economy of the country you're in, among other environmental influences. For example, two children in high school may want to become a surgeon. One writes 15 subjects, which would include science subjects as core subjects as well as subjects from other streams. The other only writes science core subjects and the generals (Mathematics and English). If a situation arises, that would deter both children from continuing his/her study (the sole breadwinner becomes ill or dies), the child that writes 15 subjects is in a better position to choose a career choice after the sad dilemma than the one who writes only core subjects from his area of study.
Also, the more you achieve, the better your Curriculum Vitae or Resume looks -- anyone would want to hire you.
Zimeena Rasheed is believed to be the first student to write 20 subjects in one sitting, achieving 18 grade ones and two grade twos in 2013. Elisa Hamilton got 19 grade ones when she wrote the CSEC exams in 2014. That is legendary. Imagine the amount or organizations and institutions that will be reaching out to these students to provide them with scholarships. Imagine the amount of industries that want to hire people with such outstanding performance.
You may say that they probably don't have a social life, or they have no life at all. But in today's society, you're either studying, or making babies or involved some gang. When a child chooses education over a social life that involves sex and other immoral behavior, and criminal activities, they should be rewarded as well appreciated.
"CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CSEC EXAMINATIONS. BEST WISHES FOR YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS."
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