Basic education in Ghana, today, is quite complex. Parents are more fully involved now than, perhaps, parents of previous generations.
There seems to be many more activities which require parents’ involvement. These are good. They help to strengthen the relationship between parents and children… however, it can be overwhelming sometimes.
That brings me to the issue of homework for children. Whew! It feels like we’re in class with the children now. Three to four different subjects per day.
And, oh, let’s not get to the ones given on Fridays, especially when it is a long weekend. For some children, homework is the only opportunity they have to revise what they were taught in school.
That is great! In itself, homework is good, especially for older children, however, for children in the lower primary and preschool, I think too much homework is a problem.
Children at this stage are in their formative years. As they learn and play in school, they need to also learn and play at home: a different kind of learning at home. The type that helps to build their social skills, morals and etiquette.
Conversations with other parents showed similar experiences. This is quite the case for children in private basic schools. Imagine your lower primary school child returning home at 3:30pm with about four different subjects of homework.
In no particular order, the child has to rest for a while after school, take a bath, eat supper, spend some time with parents catching up on how the day was at school, spend some time on entertainment – perhaps some educational cartoons, play for a while and support with age-appropriate chores before going to bed. Children need enough sleep to be refreshed for the next day (don’t we all need a good night’s rest!).
Remember, children at that stage are still developing with varying levels of attention span. Sometimes, it gets overwhelming for both parents and children when it is time to do homework.
Now, imagine if the parent does not understand the assignment and is not tech-savvy to research, and the child does not quite remember what was taught. Your guess is as good as mine.
Children develop in both school and home. Each has a part to play in the child’s optimum wellbeing. Homework should not come in the way of quality family time. As we strive to have a work-life balance as adults, let us be mindful to raise children to appreciate a work (in this case school)-life balance as well. Moderation is key here.
Reporting by Emmanuel Asei Kangah in Accra
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