Parents and guardians have been called upon to desist from wrong placement of their underage children in higher classes for the purpose of ‘finishing on time or to cut corners’, stressing that it is not the best for the children who are at the receiving end.
The Proprietress of Benvic School Lugbe, Abuja Mrs. Victoria Zamani, made the call while welcoming students and parents back to school for the new 2023 / 2024 academic year, urging parents to rather enrol their children in affordable schools than cut corners.
She called on the school system to be sensitive to this trend of younger children in classes above their ages, stating that a systematic review of these have to be put in place to stop this underage registration and admission into the high school.
“Parents are making mistake in the decision and the placement of their child, all because they want their child to finish on time or to cut corners. Which is not the best for the children. The child is at the receiving end.
“The Just concluded national common entrance examination of 2022/2023 academic year. The minister of education went round and discover a lot of underaged children writing this particular examination.
“A systematic review of these have to be put in place to stop this underage registration and admission into the high school. Just like the NMS Zaria, your child can not be admitted into the school if he or she is below 12 years of age and parents wait, why are they not waiting? Is what we should ask ourselves,” she queried.
Zamani therefore called upon all government agencies to follow all the policy put in place to the letter and make any one found wanting to be brought to book.
She further advised parents and schools to prepare children for a great future, as well as keep all hope alive amidst the economic hardship in the country.
“As teachers and parents we are to prepare our children for the future, but the truth is we do not know how jobs in the future would be like but the best we can do is to equip them with skills such as critical reasoning , collaboration,problem solving , creativity ,emotional intelligence, leadership and time management.
“Parents are seriously adviced to keep all hope alive, knowing that no situation is permanent. One day this too will be over. By the grace of God almighty. And parents should look for schools they can afford,” she stressed.
She also urged parents and guardians to teach their children about the effect of drug abuse and watch the friends they keep.
The Proprietress stressed the importance of investing in teachers training, professional development, promoting innovation and technology integration in the classroom, and enhancing student engagement and motivations.
