News Investigators/ As Nigerian schools wind down for the long summer holiday, many parents and students are advocating for skill building and rest over academic summer classes.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, a cross-section of parents and students said the shift is in recognition of the need for non-routine, more balanced and reflective approach to how children spend the break.
The parents noted that beyond the cost implication of summer lessons, new experiences, skill-building and spending quality time with their children, are crucial for their overall development and well-being.
While some stressed the need for productivity, creativity, and self-reliance during the holiday, others believed that finding rest would not be a bad idea for students.
A civil servant and parent, Bashiru Isiaka, shared his view on what an ideal summer holiday should be for children, especially under Nigeria’s current economic realities.
Mr Isiaka noted that summer holiday should be set aside for mental rejuvenation, rather than pushing children into rigorous academic programmes.
He added that students could also undergo less rigorous online skills acquisition at home, like mobile app development.
“I am not an advocate of pressure and I like things being done gradually because, once it is too excessive, it will result in low productivity.
“I prefer that they have enough rest at home and get their hands on very easy mobile app development or some other skills that are not tedious,” he said.
Corroborating Isiaka, another parent, Mrs Grace Makolo said summer holiday is time for children to relax and recharge, to enable them return to school refreshed and ready to learn.
Makolo added that summer school is an additional financial burden, especially, at a time parents will be grappling to raise money to pay school fees for the new session.
Another parent, Bitrus Yakubu, on the other hand, said that, while academic preparation is important, informal learning and skill development should take precedence.
Yakubu, a businessman, however, argued that having enough rest from the rigorous academic session would also do the child a lot of good.
“I prefer my children stay at home, learn one or two skills to another stressful summer lessons and the stuff,’’ Yakubu said.
Echoing same sentiment, Mrs Unique Agbaje, a teacher and parent, said she preferred enrolling her 11-year-old daughter in a tailoring shop this summer.
“As a mother, I prefer my child goes for skills acquisition. My girl is 11 years old and I want to enrol her in a tailoring shop to learn the skills.
“I am a teacher by profession. I am also learning tailoring and it has not been easy for me combining my job with the skill acquisition and returning home by 6 p.m. to take care of my home.
“If my child starts early at 11 years to learn this skill, before she gets to 15 years, she will become an expert,’’ she said.
Explaining why she preferred skills to summer lessons, Agbaje added that skills would always make an individual self-reliant rather than depend on white collar job.
“As a teacher, before the month gets to the middle, I have exhausted my salary and will be looking for money to feed my family.
“This informed my decision to learn tailoring skills, which I can engage in, after returning from work, to augment my meager income,’’ she said.
For Mrs Justina Ogumelen, summer holiday begins with a well-deserved rest period for her son, before he will resume at a phone repair shop.
According to her, everything is not all about books; skills can secure children’s future.
“For the first one week, I’ve asked my child to rest from the stress of the school activities, before he resume at the place he is learning how to repair phones.
Ogumelen stressed that skill-building programs, especially in technology, can foster creativity, problem-solving, and innovation
Some secondary school student, who spoke to NAN, also shared varying opinions on how best to use the summer holiday.
Emerald Nixon, a Senior Secondary 2 (SS2) student, expressed a clear preference for academic enrichment over rest and vocational pursuits.
While she acknowledged the value of vocational skills, Nixon believed that her immediate academic pursuit should take priority.
“I will prefer to go for summer lessons, because as an SS2 student, I will be resuming to SS3, which is a very tough class for preparation for external examinations.
“I am not saying that skill acquisition is not desirable, but for the stage I am in school right now, it is better I focus on my upcoming WAEC, NECO and JAMB, examinations.
“When I am done with my examimations, I can always go back to learn a skill,’’ she said.
Another SS2 student, Shqynah Danladi, on the other hand, supported acquiring vocational skills than summer lessons and rest.
“I prefer vocational skills because it is good to be well-rounded.
“In addition to academic pursuit it is important to have basic skills that will help you in building a sustainable business,’’ she said.
Danladi said she enrolled in catering school during the previous summer holiday and she would continue with the training.
“My plan is that when I gain admission to higher institution, I will be able to bake cake, prepare snacks and chops for sales to my school mates, to support my education,’’ she said
Danladi believed that exposure to vocational skills can broaden a child’s perspective and prepare them for the future
She therefore, encouraged students to enroll for skill acquisition in coding, bead-making, confectioneries, event decoration, and others during the summer holiday.
Outdoor activities and play:
Encouraging unstructured play, connecting with nature, and engaging in physical activities are seen as essential
NAN
