Beatrice Ano Muyang:“No More Social Media Addiction”

Pedagogic Inspector in the Ministry of Secondary Education, gives tips on how school people can quickly get back to book work

What are those tips on quickly getting students back to book work after three months of vacation?

Everybody finds it difficult to get back to routine after a break and students are not different. Going back to school after three months can be brutal. No more open-ended days where playing continuously were permitted. No more sleeping after eating or social media addiction. Here's how to avoid too much shock and ease back into productivity mode especially that the school system is particularly difficult because it is a whole chain of rules and regulations. Booklists were to be published before holiday so that parents and teachers can assign or keep students busy or start preparing themselves for the new academic year. Some academic challenge should be organised at the very start of school. This will motivate alertness, and since no one wants to fail, children will return to school ready. Teachers should enter every level with an understanding of its challenges so as to be able to create a desire and not anxiety in the students. Children should be made to understand why they should learn in the first place. Parents should withdraw electronic gadgets at this period from their children. This is the time to use counsellors. We under look the services or importance of counsellors in Africa and that is wrong. Counselling is a very strong arm of discipline.

How can students and pupils effectively apply these tips?

Students should have consciously begun dropping “holiday habits” about two weeks to reopening date. The first day back to school will be a lot less stressful if they get a good night sleep and have prepared everything they need the next morning so they are not rushing. Students should start sleeping early; start setting up their routine for consistent sleep, healthy breakfasts, and exercise to get back into the swing of school things. Students should try to get to campus a little early so they can get s...