Extra-mural Classes, In-School or at Home?

Lesson teachers and after-school classes have come to stay in most Nigerian schools. Some students have private home lessons where a  teacher is hired to engage the student in extra classes in the comfort of their homes. 

 

But for some, they attend lessons organized by teachers in certain schools or institutions known as “tutorial centres”, for which they pay a certain fee.

 

However, some children do not have access to attend the “lessons” for various reasons. For some, it could be that they cannot afford the fees that would give them access to the classes. While for others, their caregivers do not allow them to go for these lessons for selfish reasons.

 

In our work sphere, we have seen some caregivers engage their wards in daily hawking and tedious house chores that give the children little or no time to engage in other activities. Another reason some students do not attend lessons is that the teachers involved see it as another opportunity to make money and therefore are motivated by the financial gain. The result of this is that the teacher’s performance is relatively low, and students’ performance cannot be achieved without any significant improvement.  

 

These and many more are the factors that Dolly Children Foundation considers while setting up free after-school classes in certain schools in Magboro Community. The organization took it upon itself to see that the students who attend the classes get taught on topics that pose a challenge to them. Also, only qualified teachers take these classes, which further gives room for a diversity of learning techniques.  

 

The after-school classes also serve to curb social vices such as child abuse. By staying back in school, the children are exempted from some of the strenuous house chores or daily hawking which unconcerned guardians might give them if they weren’t in school.