Editorial
16 September 2008
editorial
Kampala — Schools officially reopened for the third term yesterday. However, days before the opening of the term, there were media reports that the Ministry of Education had temporarily closed down 11 schools in various parts of the country for defying a standing order that prohibits teaching in schools during holidays.
It is instructive that the ministry indeed swung into action to discipline the errant schools. Schools, teachers, support staff, students and parents should all take holidays with the seriousness it deserves. No one should play the ostrich on this matter. Who for instance hasn't heard the common saying that "work without play makes Jack a dull boy"? A holiday offers students after - a marathon period of tense reading - the opportunity to rest.
With due respect, coaching students during holidays might be more of weakness than strength to a school. It might point to the sad fact that the school does not have competent teachers who can cover the syllabus within the official academic calender. It might also show that the school enrolls students who cannot grasp what they are taught within the academic specified time - hence the need to coach them.
But again, if coaching were a free-for-all affair, you would give it to the teachers that they are committed to seeing that their students pass exams. However, these teachers are paid a lot of money for coaching. In other words, the intention is not noble; it is selfish; exploitative and interruptive. Interruptive because it is during holidays that parents are supposed to interact, assess, model and even relax with their children at home.
If children must remain in school day in day out, then just when are they expected to share non-academic experiences with their peers? Isn't it important that other than book-worming, students should also know about the world outside their classrooms and text books? In any case, holidays should also help schools to do the basic things such as renovating their structures, painting classroom or two among others?
However, while punishing schools that coach must continue, it is imperative that the Ministry of Education also moves fast to plug the holes that tempts teachers to risk coaching during holidays. It is an open secret that teachers are paid peanuts and therefore they can't ordinarily make ends meet. Will it be asking the ministry too much to increase teachers' salaries and provide them houses to deny them the excuse they give for coaching?
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