adminTHE 2023 national first school term begins today, and the first day of school can be daunting for a number of reasons.
It won’t be easy, especially for those starting ECD, Grade 1 and Form 1.
These will face unfamiliar environments that they have to quickly adjust to for them to cope with the learning.
There will be a lot of anxiety and curiosity, which hopefully schools will tackle to create a homely feeling in their environs for the students, both old and new.
Boarders will open a new chapter away from their parents/guardians and friends.
Even the process of making new friends can be a mission for others.
No doubt some beginning ECD will cry in the first week, but as they adjust to the new activities, the classroom will soon become their favourite place.
Our schools must adopt a zero tolerance to the ugly culture of bullying.
Bullying is all too common in our schools, and its impact on our children is profound.
School authorities need to understand that bullying can cause emotional distress, low self-esteem, anxiety, flashbacks, isolation, problems trusting individuals, self-harm and even suicide if not addressed.
For some students, the impact of this behaviour is so severe that they either absent themselves from school or become withdrawn.
The psychological consequences of bullying can still manifest themselves decades after the event.
To create an anti-bullying culture, schools must see themselves as communities, and not just learning centres.
Once they engender a sense of a real community, that will be the beginning of tackling bullying effectively.
Generally, bullying is a collective failure of an educational community, rather than a problem with individuals.
This is where teachers need to come in as elders of their particular school communities.
We also urge parents to enrol kids at schools they can afford because there is nothing that negatively impacts a child’s self-esteem than to be transferred from a private to a public school because parents can no longer afford the fees.
So, parents must ensure from the beginning that they send their children to schools they can afford, and if they are downgrading, they must explain to their children so that they can handle the mocking by their new schoolmates.
Our kids should never feel inferior when they mix with others.
To ensure that new students gel with others, school authorities should ensure proper orientation.
There has been no proper induction at some schools, leaving new students struggling to cope.
Online Reporter