Rita Tangie*
4 September 2008
It is very easy these days to find people attributing almost every action they take or embark on, on poverty.
For example, when a child performs badly in school, it is either directly blamed on intellectual poverty, or the common poverty that might have impeded his access to books, fees or other such accessories that make for smooth learning.
But even so, most parents of children who don't particularly do well in school for whatever reason, almost always find the means to ensure that they attend so-called catch-up sessions as would enable them live up to academic expectations. Hence, the now very famous holiday classes.
On the other hand though, some teachers have resorted to rather making it compulsory for their pupils and students to turn up for holiday classes, not particularly because it is very necessary, but simply as a means of "fighting poverty."
Although some educational psychologists have indicated that the child's brain needs to be rested during holiday periods, teachers who desperately need to augment their seemingly poor pay checks argue on the contrary. They hold, in certain cases, that the "backward" child requires a bit of extra pushing during vacation to catch up with his/her peers.
The Post caught up with one such organiser of holiday classes at the Parent International Primary school, PIPS, Buea, Ms. Maryline Tiku, who agreed that holidays is a period meant for rest both to the teachers and the pupils. However, she was honest to add that because of the poor pay situation of some teachers, especially those from the private sector, they were prompted to organise holiday classes.
She gave the impression that rather than simply laze away, especially during the long vacations, such poorly paid teachers could help themselves by giving legitimate extra lectures for a small fee.
Said she: "I really need to have a good rest after a tedious school year, but without the holiday classes I would not have money to take care of my needs throughout the long vacation."
She thinks that there is really nothing illegal in organising holiday classes, adding that authorisation to organise them is obtained either from the Provincial Delegate or from the Inspectors of Primary or Secondary Education.
Ms. Tiku said they teach pupils, irrespective of which schools they attend, and that they do not limit themselves to teaching pupils from their own school.According to her, the classes help the children a lot, with some parents having confessed how they realised some great improvements in their children's performances at the end of the exercise.
The The Post also talked to some parents who gave their reasons as to why they send or do not send their children to these classes.Ms. Sophie Jeme told The Post that she lets her children attend these classes because it keeps them from straying too far off from their book work, as well as remembering that relaxing during this period, doesn't in any way mean the end of their studies.
She added that these classes also help her kids not to engage a lot in watching television or playing.But Mrs. Mirabel Tati, another parent, told The Post that sending her children to holiday classes is a waste of time and money since the children would end up being taught the same things when schools reopen.
According to her, it would amount to a repetition of ideas that might instead get the children confused.Another parent who would not let us have his name said he no longer enrols his kids for holiday classes because he is yet to see the impact on them.
Majority of the people who enrol their children and wards for holiday classes, The Post found out, belong in the upper and middle classes of society.
*(UB Journalism Student On Internship)
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