Now, school children seek fun on vacation
Ten-year-old Dominic Adeniyi (not real names) is one child who does not feel that there is much difference between holiday period and school time. During the last term, he had practically spent a vast period of his time on the streets selling groundnuts for his step mother all in a bid to provide sustenance for […]
Ten-year-old Dominic Adeniyi (not real names) is one child who does not feel that there is much difference between holiday period and school time. During the last term, he had practically spent a vast period of his time on the streets selling groundnuts for his step mother all in a bid to provide sustenance for the small family of four. After closing from school in one of the government secondary schools in the Jikwoyi axis of the town, he has to rush home to pick the tray of groundnuts after his afternoon meal. He is not expected home until he has managed to sell his wares. On most days of the week, the young boy has to trudge through the streets of Jikwoyi, Karu and Nyanya calling out shrilly for patronage as he attempts to sell the groundnuts in order not to face the wrath of his parents. His is just a single case in the great number of kids that would be spending part of their holidays on the streets of Abuja selling in order to keep body and soul together. On the positive side though, the break is expected to give them more time to rest. But for the unlucky lot, it would only stretch the amount of hours they have to spend on the hostile streets of the city striving to earn a living even at their tender ages.
For most parents like Mr Muhammed Mahmud, a business man, however, the period is most welcome for parents to further cement the relationship they hitherto had with their children and wards. He says that actions that are detrimental to the well being of the children should be avoided by parents. “Everyone knows that the state of the economy is quite bad and it affects the parents and children alike making some parents take out the pressure on the children but this must be avoided as much as possible. The holidays are a welcome development that parents must make ample use of. I make sure that my kids attend Quranic classes to beef up their spiritual base so that they will become better citizens of the nation. I don’t take it likely if they miss such classes. I equally create enough time in which we interact wherein I try to impact positive values in them. I don’t neglect the area of fun for them too as they have time to relax in front of the TV set whenever I deem it fit. I implore all parents to use this period of fasting to get to know their kids well and equally strike a bond with them while inculcating in them timeless spiritual values.”
For Abdullah Tanko, a structural engineer with a private firm in the city, he opines that children are impressionable so it is quite easy to sway them toward building a strong character spiritually and morally. He adds that teaching children the values of ethical living should be paramount in the minds of most parents during the holidays. He enthuses further: “The period of fasting is one that we all look forward to in my family. That is how I have brought them up right from their childhood days. I make sure that they take their Quranic teachings seriously and not just that, that they abide by the teachings of the Holy Book. That is why you will not find my children engaging in bad practices during this period they are on break. They of course know the consequences of going against my dictates and laid down rules. Although I may not be with them right through the holiday period, they know their limits and they keep to it even when I am not around.”
A visit to parts of the city, especially the suburbs, will reveal children already taking to the streets to while away their time through sporting activities specifically football and table tennis. A few of them run races spiritedly while others simply gather in groups having unique fun activities. A vast majority of them can also be seen with different wares on their heads as they attempt to sell to interested members of the public.
Sunday Trust spoke with a few of them in an attempt to get a feel of how most are spending the break .Hauwa Yahaya , a student of Command Secondary School, Suleja says she always looks forward to such holidays as it gives her the opportunity to rest very well and then help her mother with house chores at home. “ I like helping my mother with house work especially cooking, washing and sweeping and she appreciates this a lot. Since I came back home I have been doing this. I always come back home after three months and spend the few weeks of holidays helping her. Sometimes, after the holiday ends, I don’t feel like going back home, “she says brightly.
Aisha Muhammed, a student of Model Secondary School, Maitama, also shares the same views but adds that she spend a large amount of her time reading her books and novels she couldn’t read while in school. “Sometimes, after a few weeks at home, I start missing my friends at school and begin to wish that I am back at school. But I do my bit by helping out at home during the short while. This is what I have been doing so far since I came back.”
For Khalifa Muhammad, of primary 4, Model International school, holiday period is purely to have fun and he says that he has this to the maximum. “This is the time to relax and have fun. I spend it with friends and also play computer games.” And for Fatima Muhammed of Arewa Basic school, going to Quranic school for lessons, playing games and helping out at home typifies her stay while at home.
Mrs Regina Emmanuel, a parent, advices parents not to neglect the area of private coaching for their kids while they are on break as this would go a long way to prepare them for the academic rigors they will face on resumption. “I engage the services of private tutors for my kids while they are on holidays. This prepares them for a new academic session in which they will be a little bit ahead of their colleagues. Of course I also let them have fun at times by playing computer games. But that is secondary to me…”