Now that another school year has ended our children will be proceeding on an extended holiday break for approximately two months. This is quite a lot of time they will have at their disposal and it would be to their benefit if they are encouraged to utilise it in a constructive fashion. Certainly, parents have a critical role to play in ensuring this happens.
Some students who have not done so well during the past year; or perhaps those that encounter difficulties in certain key areas in any of the subject areas, could use the time to do remedial academic work to catch up with the rest of their colleagues.
Also, some children usually go off on ‘summer’ camps hosted by religious/youth groups or other organisations including the government-sponsored programmes. This is also another effective way in which our children could spend their time wisely as they would be given an opportunity to interact with their peers and engage in extracurricular activities which would help them to become better rounded individuals.
The bottom line is that it is necessary for them to be meaningfully engaged as it is well known that those who have achieved successes in life or have gone on to do great things, are the ones who have utilised their time wisely.
It is a known fact that many of our young people are falling prey to the use and trafficking of illicit drugs and engaging in criminal activities, in the process completely destroying their lives and a great future they could have had if better choices were made and the necessary support systems were put in place to ensure their proper upbringing.
Every effort must therefore be made to ensure this segment of our population reform themselves and lead more productive and rewarding lives.
To begin with, institutions such as the family and religious groups need to take their roles more seriously as happened before.
Historically, the older generation had managed to transmit their beliefs, values, traditions, customs and institutions to the younger members of their societies and had contributed in some way to their disciplined upbringing.
This was achieved largely due to the impact of agencies of socialisation, such as the family, religious organisations and the schools to a large extent. Today, the impact of these institutions has been challenged and undermined by new forces, particularly television, the internet, and the pop culture as a whole.
We believe that if our adolescents are to move from the less mature and irresponsible ways of thinking and acting, to making more mature and responsible judgments and engaging in activities that are the hallmark of a socially productive adulthood, certain support systems must be provided. In addition to the various interventions which the government should make, there are numerous organisations including the private sector, which could rise to the occasion and contribute more towards saving our youth population. They need to come on board and sponsor programmes that would see our children and young people become well equipped with the necessary skills to develop themselves and the society as a whole.
Coordinating and sponsoring such programmes during the ‘summer’ break when children are away from school for a long period is a good way to start. These programmes should include assessment and identification of ways to build competency and skills supportive of healthy behaviours to help persons as they mature into adulthood. Such programmes need to be engaging and interesting in order to attract youths, and they should have elements of excitement and challenge to retain participants’ interest.
Successful programmes typically incorporate specific components, such as providing a sense of belonging, promoting a supportive relationship with adults, and affording opportunities to enhance decision-making and leadership skills.
Further, sport could also play a very important role in bringing the youth population back on track so that they could interact with their peers and elders in a more meaningful and dignified manner.
