As the long holiday season sets in, many children across Lagos are trading school bells for watching cartoons, video games, summer classes and engaging in sporting activities in open spaces and roads. Ironically, while the children enjoy their break, parents and guardians are left juggling work, home responsibilities and the full-time task of keeping their young ones occupied, safe and productive. FARUQ DUROSINMI, CHRISTIANA OHIMAI, OSHINYEMI OLAMIDE and FRANCISCA CHIMA report
During school holidays, it is time for pupils to engage in various activities to stay entertained, learn and have fun. These activities help children develop new skills, build relationships and have an enjoyable break from school.
Summer classes to the rescue
But, as schools officially remain on break now, many pupils continue to stay active; attending summer lessons designed to keep them mentally engaged and academically prepared for the next session. A visit around the Lagos metropolis by our reporters showed how their summer lessons were being conducted. Our reporters also observed how some pupils were playing football and other games around the neighbourhoods.
At Christ the Ultimate International Schools at Ago Palace Way, Lagos, one of its teachers, Mr. Victor Okpeye, who is responsible for teaching coding to pupils from Basic 1 to Basic 5, explained that the school used the regular school syllabus. He said pupils were being taught topics that are relevant to the upcoming term, rather than engaging in a special or relaxed curriculum. This approach, Okpeye said, is aimed to help the children gain a head-start and return to the new session better prepared.
However, the teacher also noted some challenges. One of the major issues he identified is lack of concentration and interest by the pupils.
âMany of them still see the period as a holiday and believe they should be playing instead of attending classes. As a result, teaching requires a lot of patience and gentle encouragement to help the children learn,â he said.
On suggestions for improvement, the teacher emphasised the importance of making summer lessons more interactive and engaging. He recommended the use of games, group activities, and project-based learning to keep the children interested. He also highlighted the need for increased use of technology such as educational videos, tablets and online quizzes provided the school has the facilities to make the experience more modern and enjoyable.
A primary school teacher at a private school in Surulere, Mrs. Yetunde Sulaimon, said many parents have enrolled their children in her small holiday coaching programme.
âItâs not compulsory, but a lot of parents want their children to stay busy. I focus on revision, reading, and fun educational games. Itâs less formal but still impactful,â she said.
One of such schools is His Pride International School located at 13. Alhaja Agbeke Street, Okota , Lagos.
The schoolâs head teacher and proprietress, Mrs. Yetunde North, said they were planning for the new school year with a new theme: Learn, Grow, and Thrive. She said the school was working on its calendar and also giving teachers training during the break to prepare them for the upcoming academic session.
She also explained that although some parents preferred their children to attend summer school, many are choosing to keep them at home because of high costs. âThis year summer school is more expensive, so most parents would rather just let their children rest at home to avoid the extra cost,â she said
A teacher in the school, Mrs. Chika Obika, who is the Head of Department and Basic 2 class teacher, spoke about the problems teachers faced after long holidays.
âThe problem we normally face is that most of the students after resuming, they usually forget about what they have been taught. So, instead of moving forward, weâd have to start afresh to refresh their memory before moving on,â she said.
To help with this problem, His Pride International School ran a summer coaching programme from August 4th to 31st. The programme included bead making, weaving, and games like chess and scrabble to keep the childrenâs brains active and ready for the new term.
A Basic 3 student, Rashidat Pedro, who is attending the summer programme, said she enjoyed coming for the summer coaching initiative. âI like coming for the summer coaching because I get to see my friends and teachers and also have fun making beads and weaving, and I also get to play games like Chess and Scrabble,â she said
How some families, guardians handle home and work during the holiday
For some families, this holiday period is a cherished time for bonding and relaxation. For others, itâs a hectic period, especially when both parents work full-time or when thereâs a financial strain to consider.
As the holiday continues, families are finding creative ways to maintain order, foster learning and enjoy moments of togetherness, while managing the task that comes with kids being at home.
Some parents also shared their views. A mother, Mrs. Iyabo Pedro, said she supports the summer coaching idea but worries about cost. âThe programme is good because it keeps the children busy and active during the holiday, but things are more expensive now and some parents might not be able to afford the extra cost,â she said
Mrs. Obika gave advice to students. She said primary school pupils should join summer coaching to stay sharp, and secondary school students could learn tech or vocational skills during the holiday.
And for many Nigerian parents, especially mothers like Biola and Ramota, the holiday season is not just a break from school â itâs a master class in multitasking, patience, and resilience.
A mother of three and also a trader who sells Italian shoes and bags at Balogun Plaza on Lagos Island, Mrs. Biola Arije, is one of many parents feeling the pressure.
âI leave the house by 7 a.m. every day. Normally, during school days, the kids would be in school by then. But during this holiday, I have to make sure they eat, set some chores, and still find someone to check on them before I get to my shop.â
According to Mrs. Arije, her husband, Mr. Qudus Arije, is currently not in Nigeria. The responsibility falls squarely on her to take care of their feeding, welfare and ensure their safety. Her children: Mariam (going to SS1), Rahmon (moving to JSS3), and Jamal (who just finished Basic 5), all attend Crescent College.
âThey want to go out, watch TV, and play all day,â she said with a tired smile. âI try to keep them engaged, but Iâm not always home. Itâs not easy.â
To help look after the kids, Mrs. Arije arranged for a family friend to supervise the children during the day and occasionally takes them to her shop to teach them about business and responsibility.
Another family navigating the holiday is the Yakubs. The wife, Ramota Yakub, sells pants and bras at Pedro Market, Lagos, while her husband, Saheed Yakub, works as an accountant at Keystone Bank. With four children – Khalilah (Basic 5), Imran (Basic 3), Umar (Nursery 2), and baby Zara (just over a year old) – the couple devised a clever arrangement to help manage the home during this period.
âWe send the children to their grandmotherâs place for most of the week. They go there on Mondays and return on Saturdays. It helps us manage our work without being overwhelmed, and the kids love their grandma,â Ramota explained.
The Yakub children attend Noble Minds School, and Ramota said they still engaged in holiday homework and light studies while at their grandmaâs. She sometimes prepares weekend lessons to keep them mentally active.
âTheyâre still learning, but in a relaxed way. We just donât want them to forget everything they learnt in school before next termâs resumption,â she added.
Also, a foodstuff seller at Onipanu Market, Mrs. Orji Blessing, expressed pride in her children for helping with her market business and house chores during the break.
A trader, Mrs. Chinenye Alimmo, lamented that her children âonly know how to scatter things around the houseâ, adding that sheâs tasked with tidying up after returning from the market while the kids watch TV.
A businesswoman and mother of two, Mrs. Stephanie Anuoluwapo, expressed frustration over the dynamics of parenting during the holidays. âThereâs a lot of shouting but most of all I have them to myself throughout this holiday,â she said.
She noted that the holiday gave her the opportunity to observe her childrenâs behaviour closely, unlike during school days when they return by 4p.m.
Mrs. Anuoluwapo confessed being tempted to give them beating after repeating instructions for the umpteenth time.
âHowever, remembering they are on holiday, so I leave them to play until they get tired. But they never get tired and try as much as possible to avoid accidents,â she said.
She noted a stark contrast in her home during school days and during the holidays.
âThe house is clean from 7:45am before they leave for school, but now from the rising of the sun to the going down of the sun, the house is littered with toys like I have a toyshop. One would find spoons and plates in the room, then pillows and some of their clothes in the sitting room,â she exhaled.
To businessman and industrial cleaning personnel, Mr. Phillips Nnanna, his children are with their mother. He said he only gets requests to buy things from them through phone calls.
âI know I would have spent more if they were with me taking them out,â he said.
Teachers, too, are also utilising this break in varied ways. While some are resting and catching up on personal goals, others are offering holiday coaching to keep students academically active and to supplement their income.
However, not all parents can afford holiday programmes. Many, like Biola Arije, rely on relatives, community support or hope that their children stay safe and responsible.
âEven when Iâm tired, I still try to talk to them at night,â she said. âAsk what they did, what they learned. I donât want them to waste the holiday doing nothing.â
Pupils narrate their experiences
For a pupil and an aspiring writer, Mariam Arije, the holiday is golden, adding that sheâs utilising her time by reading novels and working on short stories.
âI love school, but I enjoy sleeping more now,â she laughed. âIâm reading a lot, though. My mum said I should learn something new every week.â
A student of Divinity College, Idimu, Chidinma Samuel, expressed joy about being able to assist her mum with house chores and help run their mini provision store during the holidays.
A student of Jibowu Junior High School, Saheed Odukoya, said he was enjoying the holiday, while also helping his grandma. He admitted missing school due to not seeing his friends to play with.
A Basic 5 pupil, Ugwuanyi Olivia, said she didnât like summer lessons, but had to attend because her parents insisted. However, she admitted that she enjoyed her favorite subjects, Mathematics and Coding.
A Basic 3 pupil, Jessica Chisiogo, said she loves the summer lessons, because she gets to see her classmates and friends.
