THE DANGER IN CLASS SKIPPING
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Primary school education used to be 7 years, Then 6years. At a point in time, due to peer and parential influence it became 5 years against government's policies.
These days parents will be struggling for the child to be in primary 1 by 4 years old. By 8years the child would have completed primary 4 expecting to proceed to primary 5 .This same parent will now try to dodge primary 5. Some will even insist on double promotion in primary 3 to primary 5 thereby cutting a year off. Not caring about the mental growth of the child, The parent will insist that the child proceed to Jss1. At this point the teachers must perform magic so that the years missed will not affect the child otherwise the game of changing schools begins. Forgetting that the child has not gone through the proper stages of development intellectually.
Then this child will be influeced through college too.
When this child gets to JSS 2 at 10 years old the parent will insist the child sits for BECE or junior NECO.
by 11 or 12 he will be in SS 1.
When he gets to SS 2 he will be made to sit for WAEC ,NECO and JAMB. By this time the poor child is either 12 or 13.At worst 14.
The child will sit for these exams and probably pass by influence too.
He will get into the University at 14 or less.
When he gets there we would have succeeded in influencing the speed of his education by cutting corners, but have we succeeded in influencing his mental and psychological growth?
This poor kid is now an under graduate, surrounded by worldly wisdom and people from different walks of life. He is thrown into a life he is not ready for. He thinks he is an adult. He becomes a prey to those who want to take advantage of his naivety.
Most of the time he will find himself lying about his age so that he can belong. He starts keeping secrets from home. The parents will think he is still the little boy they assumed he is. Have we noticed that most kids that fall into these categories starts carrying over courses or abscond from lectures and so on. Not because they are not intellectually good most often times.
They have not realised who they are, what they really want, ability to handle responsibilities, situations and so on .
The accepted age of childhood ends at 15.
By 16 the mentality starts to change to that of an adolescent. By 18 he is mentally ready to be responsible for his actions.
By 21 he has come of age and finally fully an adult. His reasoning and thinking is matured. That is the right age to graduate under normal circumstances. He finishes service by 22 or 23 and is ready to face the world.
On the other hand he graduates at 18 if the world have not Robbed him of his person and I'm in bed confusion into his mind.
He finishes the National youth service at 19. Most parents who have the means will tell him to proceed for Masters (This is only 10-20%). But if they can't afford it this poor child is neither hear nor there. The employment markets are not meant for babies. Frustration sets in, lots of things could go wrong At this point we as parents starts blaming the Government and the system we have cut corners against.
To arrive at educational, policies, lots of intellectuals puts their heads together and decide what is best. Educationists, psychologists, and so on are part of these decisions making borrowing leafs from developed countries.
Parents, Especially new generation parents are mostly influenced by peer pressure. So and so's kid graduated at so and so age, mine must either beat it or do same.
Even if the child is not ready. If the school refuse to cut corners they change the school or register elsewhere. And with the type of competition and scamper for kids by schools especially with no proper monitor of standards and certain other things especially in private school. We find ourselves selling our birthrights for unforseen (even at that) mosels of porriages.
Dear parents, A word they say is enough for the wise Allow your kid's to grow, develop and find themselves.
Do not force them into adulthood when they are not adults. Do not let them think they are what they are not yet. The world is filled with lots of wolves. These kids needs to face them when they can.
We pray that our kids will not fall victims,
But then we should not push them too hard. May God provide for us as we build up our kids.We as parents shall reap the fruit of our labours. Remember every child has his own personality. Help them to find it, build on it and not confuse them along the way. God help all parents and bless them.
At least to the glory of God I am privileged to know that a child in the UK cannot start Nursery until he is 4.
Before then parents must make alternative arrangements with for their kids below that age. And corners are not cut. Yet they excel. Because they are more concerned about the mental growth of the child. If your child is a genius, help him to build on it and find himself. Don't get him lost halfway.
Exclusive write up of Yemi Bello (Mrs)-:
(School administrator, Educational consultant, Mentor, Author and publisher)