Stakeholders are, again, thrown into dilemma as the ongoing general election continues to disrupt academic calendar in the country.
As things stand, schools across the country are expected to embark on another round of break this week in anticipation of the coming governorship and houses of assembly polls.
It will be recalled that schools across the country first proceeded on break on Friday, February 15 and Monday, February 18 before being asked to proceed on break again on Friday, February 22 and Monday, February 25.
In some states of the federation, students were directed to proceed on mid-term break ahead of the earlier scheduled date only to return unexpectedly following the postponement of the last presidential and National Assembly elections from February 16 to 23.
The unexpected change in election date, stakeholders observed, had upset academic calendar leaving them with how to harmonise the system.
Many parents, as well as schools, grappled with the question of when to resume to school even as stakeholders were initially jittery of the aftermath of the elections.
Checks by our correspondents showed that some proprietors of schools are currently worried that a lot has to be done to address the backlog created as a result of the elections.
In an exclusive interview with The Point, the Vice Principal and administrator, Nigerian Tulip International Colleges, Mr. Olayinka Aderoju, said the academic calendar had been largely affected by the electioneering.
Mr Aderoju said, “In recent time, the effect of the political exercise on the academics cannot be quantified. It has disrupted the academic calendar. When a little change is made in the academic sector, it takes time and efforts to be rectified. We were talking about the education sector performing low, now it is being worsened by the reality of the political period.
“Now, talking about when students are to be in school or at home is a major issue because it leaves school administrations with no time to plan at all.
“Sustaining the momentum has become hard; hardly will you find a school that will cover the scheme of work for the term. How can we cover the next term? We are definitely going to have a carryover of work.
“We are creating problem for tomorrow while we have not solved the problem of yesterday. If government insists that we should resume whenever they like we do not have the power to change it.”
Speaking in the same vein, the founder, Scaffoldings School, Abuja, Dr. Rosemary Ogedengbe, said the electoral process had disrupted school activities as parents did not want their children to resume even after they were asked to resume because of the exigencies and the fears.
“As a parent and school administrator, we would not want to put the safety of our children at risk. You cannot predict, hundred percent, the level of safety before, during and after the elections. That was why we followed the directives of the Ministry not to resume.
“This disrupted the academic calendar for the term because many parents were scared to bring their children to school following the crises from the electoral process. How do we continue with the academic calendar when there are no students to teach?”
Expressing worries on the effect of the process on the academic calendar, she said that schools found it hard to engage in certain activities as a result of shortage of time.
Saying that uncertainties still pervade the next process, she pointed out that “After the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly polls, lots of corrections were made to the academic calendar. The mid-term break was affected. Again, the coming break as a result of the next elections is still going to affect us. We do not know what to expect.
“After the first set of break, students refused to resume to school as parents were scared to bring them to school.”
The head, Omoleye Children’s School, Onipanu, Lagos, Chief Olawale Ebenezer, disclosed that as a result of the crisis in Lagos after the presidential and National Assembly elections, his school did not resume on Monday as earlier scheduled.
This, he said, was because the school could not guarantee the safety of the children at the time in question.
Chief Ebenezer said, “On Monday, my son was supposed to resume to school but I didn’t allow him because I heard they were fighting in Lagos. You know how Lagos can be; even my school did not resume because we were not sure of adequate security.
“Although the Ministry told us to resume that Monday but we couldn’t because of fear. Our academic calendar has been disrupted for the term. Third term is usually short; I hope we would be able to fix it because I do not know what to do.”
Checks on why parents did not allow their children to resume in some schools as scheduled revealed that many of them were scared of possible protest and breakdown of law and order.
Some parents said they preferred their children to be under their watch at the time rather than release them to go to school.
One of the parents, Mrs. Yemi Ogunlana said, “We did not know what to do or where we were heading. Report said students were to resume on Monday but we did not know what would happen. We already have crises everywhere. We just had to be very careful.”
A parent, who identified himself simply as Mr. Ogbonna, said, “Our children’s lives matter most to us. School activities can always
be fixed.”
