WHAT KIND OF SUMMER SCHOOL DID YOUR CHILD ATTEND LAST YEAR?

TWO-A-PENNY SUMMER SCHOOLS A-PLENTY!

Recent investigations have revealed that parents who registered their children at many so-called summer schools in Lagos at dirty cheap prices did get themselves taken to the cleaners after all. We have found that many of these emergency schools are not worth a kobo of fees parents pay. They only play on the anxiety of parents to get their children doing something constructive while they are at work.

During our investigations, we discovered that many of the proprietors/proprietresses of these schools had no genuine plans for vocational programs, which should be the focus of a holiday school. Emphasis is not placed on intelligence – developing games, life skills or obvious self- actualization programs. There were no plans for tutorials on academic related needs such as how to make appropriate use of libraries, study skills and examination techniques. Some of them even closed as early as 11.00 am each day which makes us wonder why they made students leave their homes in the first place. We have classified some of these schools from the comical to the wacky and from the patently absurd to the ‘Bubble Trouble, Double Rubble’!

BUT WHAT SHOULD A SUMMER SCHOOL PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS?

1. The goal of a holiday school should be to challenge, amuse and provoke students into seeing, thinking and acting in many usual and unusual recreational ways.

2. It should stimulate and refresh students during the period by combining academic and co-curricular activities in a unique environment capable of creating and bonding friendship by students from all parts of Nigeria. To do this we hereby submit a check list of programs a summer school might provide apart from taking students on trips to London, Paris, Nairobi or Johannesburg!

ACADEMIC-RELATED

1.Few subject lectures Including English Language, Maths and science subjects such as Integrated Science, Intro Tech ,Chemistry, Physics. This should be backed up with practicals and at least a test at the end of the holiday school whose results should be submitted to parents in the last week of the holiday school.

2. Students needing remedial work in Maths and English should be made to spend two extra periods (1hr 20 mins) each day from Monday to Thursday with approval from parents after discussion with holiday school management.

3. Specific tutorials on Microsoft Office packages especially WORD. This should be combined with internet/e-mail training, social networks and the need to be very careful while browsing.

4. Oral English/Oral French

5. Lectures on “Moral Instructions”, Famous Peoples, Quotations and Places. Also they should be guided on how to speak confidently in the public.

CO-CURRICULAR-RELATED

1. Ball Games such as basketball, football, volleyball, lawn and table tennis etc.

2. Indoor Games such as chess, scrabble, monopoly, ayo, snake and ladder, ludo, etc.

3. Educational or brain games from video or the computer.

4. Educational Film shows on Shakespeare, People and Places etc. Nollywood and Hollywood movies should not be excluded if they have themes related to moral instructions for students or their tutors.

5. Playing of musical instruments, voice training by Karaoke .

6. First-aid training/”Handling emergencies at home” sessions

7. Drama/Choral singing/Pop singing/Local and international dances.

8. Quiz/Debating competitions.

9. Horticultural & Gardening/Poultry Keeping lessons

10. Cooking and Baking competitions

11. Arts, Crafts, Beads-making, Carpentry works tutorials

12. Body Exercises and “Man o War” sessions

13. Lessons /Games/Drama on Savings and Personal finance

14. Lessons on Community spirit and work

15. External-based activities such as excursions to the National Stadium and National Museum, National Arts Theatre,visits to Badagry beach or beaches along the Victoria Island/Lekki axis, French Course at French Village in Badagry with a short visit to Cotonou, Leadership Training at the Sea School, Swimming sessions at an international hotel nearby .

TWO QUESTIONS REMAIN PLEASE!

1. What kind of summer school will your child attend this year? Something close to our checklist above or far from it?

2. How to combine all these into a time-table which students will find stimulating?

PLEASE RETURN TO OUR BLOG lagosbooksclub@yahoo.com MORE OFTEN FOR MORE ARTICLES ON SUMMER SCHOOLS

This is so helpful. Thanks.