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Time to rest, prepare for the year ahead

THE 2015 school year officially came to an end last week. The euphoria was evident — screams of joy, cheerful faces running out of classrooms and jumping in the air, and the customary farewell hugs and goodbyes.

The year-end holiday signals the end of one academic year and the beginning of the next.

In other words, schoolchildren will be a year older and moving up the academic ladder.

For those going from primary to secondary school, it also comes with a change in uniform — a true sense of pride and maturity.

After a long year filled with classroom activities, homework, projects and portfolios, co-curricular and co-academic activities, and assessments and exams, holidays are a time to unwind and relax.

In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a lot of domestic work to do during the holidays.

It was time to clean the compound, paint gates and walls, repair broken or damaged equipment and mend the chicken coop, goat and cow sheds.

I wonder if you could call that a holiday from today’s perspective!

Travelling to beach and hill resorts, both locally and abroad, was a luxury few could afford. Travelling was confined to attending wedding receptions or visiting relatives.

Today, however, the scenario is different. Rewards in the form of cash, excursions and holiday vacations await those who obtain excellent results or show marked improvement in their studies.

Six weeks of holiday, by any standard, is a long time. Students should plan ahead and plan well. Failure to do so would mean precious time being wasted.

To begin with, they should reflect upon the current academic year, identify their strengths and weaknesses and take concrete measures to consolidate or improve.

They should spend the time concentrating on subjects they are weak in and work on them. This would enable them to catch up on lost time and be on par with other students when school reopens.

Most schools have taken back the textbooks for the current year and given out new textbooks for the following academic year.

It is hoped that students will use some of the free time to look through the books to prepare for the year ahead.

This is also a time to catch up with friends and relatives who live far away, and do things that will remain memorable for a long time.

It is also the time to catch up on a hobby or activity that has been set aside.

Parents, too, should seize this opportunity to take a break from work and spend quality time with their children and listen to their concerns.

They should use the year-end report card to gauge their overall performance and plan ahead with the children.

They can send their children for career workshops, seminars and educational camps to keep them occupied.

My advice is simple. After sweating it out for a year, students deserve a rest, a good rest that includes a holiday, an adventure and a new experience.

A rest that takes them away from textbooks and classrooms.

It is akin to the end of a football season when players are given a rest while the management does some reflection, deploys new tactics and strategies, and plans international friendlies while preparing the team for the next season.

It is my hope, too, that after the holidays, students face the new school term with renewed determination, replenished energy and enthusiasm.

Happy holidays!

n JAGINDER SINGH, Batu Gajah, Perak

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