OPEN TESTIMONY LETTER: DEAR PARENTS, LET THAT CHILD FINISH THE PROCESS & COMPLETE THE PRIMARY EDUCATION SYSTEM.

OPEN TESTIMONY LETTER: DEAR PARENTS, LET THAT CHILD FINISH THE PROCESS & COMPLETE THE PRIMARY EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Testimonial from a parent

Dear Parent,

I WILL NEVER ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO SKIP AN ACADEMIC CLASS, NEVER!

A graduate of Computer Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. (who had first class.) wrote this:

“I remember when I was in primary school. There was this girl that sat for the First School Leaving Certificate (Primary 6) exam while at Primary 4. She passed, so she “jumped” two years and went from Primary 4 to JSS 1.

Even though I performed better and was academically smarter than this girl, my parents insisted that none of their children would skip an academic class.

Some of my classmates also went from Primary 5. Well, I did my Primary 6.

So, many of my Primary school classmates were 1,2,3 years ahead of me because my parents insisted that none of their children would “jump” a class.

When I was in SSS-1, the girl who skipped a class started writing WAEC in SSS-3. She failed twice, so I caught up and we did the WAEC same year again; my first attempt, her third attempt.

She passed enough to merge results. I got all my papers in one sitting, and in flying colours, with my head, not from any special centre.

Well, we went into university’ same year, and I graduated a year before her, in a more highly ranked University – Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)

My parents are both academics. They aren’t just teachers; they both have experience in Academic and Career Guidance and Counselling.

But at the point when they made some decisions about our education (our: My siblings and I), I wasn’t happy. To me, it was all about competing with my friends about who will finish Secondary school first and gain admission first. But I now know better.

A system of education is in place for a reason.  The Nigerian system is 6-3-3-4.

WHY THE RUSH TO BEAT THE SYSTEM?

I know some children are smarter and have the intellectual capacity to go faster than others.

What other developed countries with more regulated systems of education do is to NOT make the children skip some curriculum. They make the gifted children cover the curriculum faster.

For instance: regular students might need 6 regular academic years to cover the high school curriculum. The talented ones are put in a separate class where they  cover the whole 6-year curriculum in 5 or 4 years, or even less. They don’t usually skip these curricula.

I know the UK and US have some of such schools and classes for gifted children.

The thing I have noticed in Nigeria is that it’s usually even the parents of AVERAGE or BELOW- AVERAGE students that want their children to “jump” classes.

The prestige is in telling everyone that your child finished secondary school at 12. It doesn’t matter whether your child’s brain is completely empty, or whether your child wrote his or her WAEC and JAMB exams at special centres. You are just in a competition.

I was just having a random thought a few minutes ago, and I realized that NONE of those my primary or secondary school classmates who tried to skip classes were better or ended up more academically grounded and privileged than I am. So, what exactly was the hurry all about?

It’s not just about your child finishing primary school at 7 and secondary at 12.

The question is

“Is he/she well academically grounded”?

Can they defend those pieces of paper certificate (they were so much in a rush to acquire) anywhere in the world?

What is the point producing an air-headed graduate at 18?

I would rather have my children spend more years in school and graduate well-grounded academically, than to graduate and still be too dumb to write application letters or simple essays.

Besides, I want my children to have a fun childhood.

Except any of my children demonstrates obvious signs of being academically gifted and smart (in which case I would find them a good school for gifted children), they will all finish secondary school NOT before 16, and they will all graduate, NOT before the age of 20.

We are not running to anywhere. We are not in a hurry to be mediocres. Anything worth doing is worth devoting sufficient time to do it well.”

Now, here are contributions from different quarters:

1. Kiddies Palace Academy, Minna

I agree totally to the above piece. The writer is 100% right. We all know what we face with graduated university students of nowadays. Somebody sometime ago said: ” 

Nigeria university graduate are unemployable.” 

Most of them are not emotionally stable atimes. It is not all about academics alone; a child needs stability on all sides.

2. Dideolu Adekogbe, a public analyst

This is apt and we need to post this on our school platforms so that our parents can read it.

As owners and leaders of schools, I know we need to increase the population but not to the detriment of the future of our children. We will not be at the future workplace when they will be struggling or not even get a job.

Our children in the Pre- school now will be in the labour market by the year 2040.

How grounded are they?

How will they be able to cope emotionally, academically, and socially?

How well are we positioning them to collaborate and network in the future?

The need to be academically and emotionally grounded can not be overemphasized.

When parents come with the idea of skipping class, please let’s discourage it.

If all schools are on the same page, they will reason and abide by our counsel and follow the education policy.

QUALITY IS BETTER THAN SPEED

These children carry the logo/link of our schools for life and if their performances are questionable then our brand is questionable

POINTS TO NOTE

Now is a good time to start the change process because this is the season for fresh admissions and transfers. Let parents know that the school is guided by policies.

✓Let’s insist that Age 6 is for primary 1, the children need to enjoy childhood.

✓Write the age bracket on the classroom doors for all to see.

✓No declaration of age for children. Birth Certificate admits.

✓No use of a year ahead textbooks. This is destroying our children’s foundation.

The responsibility is on us as educators and parents to help build the future that our children will live in by the decisions we make now.