All students know it and almost all students hate it, I’m talking about homework, of course.

It is no shocker that homework can be overbearing for some students. In an article put out by Stanford University’s Stanford Report it states that 56% of students attribute homework to their main cause of stress. One of the biggest concerns about homework is its effect on students’ mental health. 

A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that stress from school work, including homework, contributes to anxiety in students. The National Education Association reports that students who spend more than two hours a night on homework have higher levels of stress, along with physical issues like headaches and sleep problems. Homework can also take away time needed for relaxation or extracurricular activities, both crucial for mental well-being. 

According to a 2014 survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), students in countries with heavy homework loads report more stress and burnout, which can actually harm their academic performance. Though homework is often seen as a way to reinforce learning, research shows its effectiveness is questionable. A study by The Learning Network at The New York Times found that, for younger students, there’s little connection between homework and academic success. For older students, the benefits of homework are minimal compared to the stress and negative effects it causes. 

The debate around homework is not only happening in the U.S. Many countries are reducing or eliminating homework altogether. Finland, for example, assigns very little homework and focuses on in-class learning and project-based work. Finnish education expert Pasi Sahlberg suggests that the country’s success in international rankings is partly due to its emphasis on work-life balance. 

Similarly, countries like Japan and South Korea are rethinking their homework policies, realizing that too much homework can harm students’ enthusiasm for learning.

The tradition of homework in schools needs to be reexamined. Research shows that homework can negatively affect mental health, reinforce inequality, and has questionable educational value.