Provided that all goes well and systems put in place are efficient, students across the country will be heading back to school after more than a year of not being able to be in the classrooms, given the crippling effects of COVID-19.
Today, grade six students will conclude their National Grade Six Assessment examinations and await their results. At the moment, virtual schools have closed, and this means that children will have more time on their hands, and should therefore be encouraged to utilise this time in a constructive manner.
For over a year now, parents have been faced with the challenge of finding activities, whether academic or recreational, for their children to be safely involved in. There are many different ways in which our young people could effectively utilise their time wisely. Some students who have not done so well during the past year, or perhaps those that encounter difficulties in a particular subject area, could use the time to do remedial academic work to catch up with the rest of their peers.
Some of the more mature students also choose to take up work study opportunities, wherein they get a taste of what the world of work has to offer.
When persons are not fully occupied with doing positive and uplifting things, they tend to fall by the wayside, most times to their own detriment. Many would agree that many of our young people are falling prey to the use and trafficking of illicit drugs, and are 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.
It is being said that institutions such as the family and religious groups need to take up 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 and 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.
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, while sport is curtailed at the moment by COVID-19, it 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. Once safe again and children are vaccinated against COVID-19, there must be the revival of many of the non-functional sport groups/ centres in communities, as the lack of access to such facilities makes it more challenging to engage youths.
The idea is for young people to be meaningfully engaged because they could gain something positive from. It is well accepted 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.
