Tuition is instruction, especially the one given to an individual learner or group of learners. Tuition is also a sum of money charged for teaching in an institution. Over time, the word also evolved to mean extra learning organized for students. In this context, tuition is close to remedial, which originate from remedy — to set it right — more so, the undesirable situation. Before mandarins at the Ministry tightened the noose, schools organised tuition sessions, which expanded learning time. This was abolished in schools because some exploitative educators abused the opportunity.
In actual sense, learners will always require progressive programmes to assist them score more. Meaning, learners who evince excellence increase their contact hours with sources of knowledge: Books and teachers. Therefore, when parents fail to focus on teachers, things begin going south. No wonder, in term 1 and 2, schools organise academic clinics. In such instances, parents and guardians who want to get it right in the tuition of their children, spare some time, and attend. The three stones that support the pot — parent, student and teacher — discuss factors revolving around academic performance, progress and success. Likewise, they explore robust support systems, which in a page-turner titled Teach with Your Strengths, Rosanne Liesveld and Joe Ann Miller contend that are tools that can fix academic weaknesses. For instance, in the plenary sessions of the academic clinics and AGMs, guest speakers educate parents on how to play their part in the education of their children.
Then, when schools are in session, it is incumbent upon parents to pay fees at the right time before their children are sent home. For when children are away from school, they miss lessons; including training and tutelage done by teachers. Some parents fail to provide tuition tools. Sadly, some children report to school without academic tools intended to facilitate Teaching and Learning (TL). For instance, there are children who report to school without enough exercise books and pens.
Moreover, parents should ensure children have calculators and graph books for Mathematics. Children should have dictionaries and kamusis to facilitate learning of English and Kiswahili respectively. Still on tuition tools in Languages, Form 1 and 2 students should own Class Readers, while Form 3 and 4 students should possess all KCSE set books. Children should report to school with Revised Standard Version (RSV) of the Bible to facilitate learning of CRE, and by extension for spiritual nourishment.
When we visit schools to speak to students as part of Life Skills Education, we are taken aback by the spectre of seeing some students taking short notes on pieces of paper or graph books. Meaning, such students report to school without notebooks. In addition, learners studying Geography and History and Government need at least atlases.
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Progressively, while away from school, like the November/December Holiday which is coming post-haste, school-going-children have ample time to rest from the rigmarole of academic work. Then, while holed up at home, parents should get it right by ensuring that their children balance three things: Home chores, leisure and personal study time. Meaning, even while out of school, parents must ensure that their children get it right in terms of priorities, which Dr. Steve Covey contends that is one of the habits of highly effective people. In his heroic book titled: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey calls priority — doing the first things first.
Therefore, when children report home after closure of schools, parents get it right when first they receive the child, and not the report card. On the same token, they should assist them to come up with timetables while home-schooling. The onus is on (us) parents to ensure that children have completed assignments given to them by teachers as work to help them remain focused during the holiday rife with festivities. Parents should preach the same message to their children: Form 3 and 4 students have sufficient time to pore over KCSE set books. Sedulous students should identify simple topics they can do on their own. For in March 2020, we discovered that online learning on sites such as Zoom Webinar makes a big difference. During the holiday, children can attend Zoom Classes in any subject. Some parents get it wrong when they only focus on Mathematics and Sciences — Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Somewhat, Humanities, Arts and Technical subjects are equally important. There is the essence of remaining consistent to such puissant programmes.
© Victor Ochieng’
The writer runs Penman Online Programme. During the holiday, he co-ordinates Zoom Classes for high school students. Parents/guardians who want their children to be part of the programme, can contact: vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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