In a few days to come, students will break off for the second term holiday. The intention is to relax from routine schoolwork.

Unfortunately, as many plan to spend time with their families, others await special lessons from tutors until the next school term opens. Despite strong warnings from education institutions, holiday coaching has continued to thrive for one reason or the other.

Some think holidays should be used for resting while others maintain that weak students do not have the luxury of wasting this valuable time.

It is an opportunity for them to focus on improving academic performance, says Prince Byukusenge, a teacher at Umubano School in Kicukiro, Kigali.

"Those who are brilliant do not need this arrangement since they are fast at grasping concepts. Weak ones, however, need this holiday to revise and seek assistance through coaching,” he says.

Deogene Bazimaziki, the head teacher at G.S Nkurura in Musanze District, says that unlike regular school time, holidays provide an opportunity for weak students to concentrate away from distractions.

"During normal school time, concentration of students reduces by a considerable per cent because of distractions like mobile phones. Holiday coaching, on the other hand, allows them time with limited distractions,” explains Bazimaki.

He, however, suggests that for students to benefit from this coaching, it should be guided by age.

"Much as parents want their children to be pumped with work, they should not exert excessive pressure on everyone. The coaching should allow some free time for the students depending on their level of maturity,” he adds.

For Aminadhad Niyonshuti, an English teacher at APAPER Complex School in Kigali, holiday coaching is the best way to keep students from trouble during long school breaks.

"When young people are free, they want to go watch movies, which predisposes them to vices such as smoking and alcoholism. Keeping them occupied with some form of work assists them stay away from these vices,” says Niyonshuti.

Strong warning from the education ministry

Although some teachers use holidays as an opportunity to complete the syllabi, education stakeholders within the country have for long discouraged holiday teaching.

It is an issue State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Olivier Rwamukwaya, is well-versed with. He maintains that the school calendar should cater for all lesson demands without pushing for unnecessary extensions during the holidays.

"We expect all schools to finish their syllabi within the given time. This should not interfere with the time for holidays which is strictly meant for students to rest,” he says, expressing concern over the hefty sums charged by tutors during this period.

"Holiday coaching has to be engaged with money, which violates the policy of free education. It is a vice that needs to be eradicated completely,” says Rwamukwaya.

The minister further points out that holiday coaching compromises service delivery during normal school time and worse enough creates conflicts between the teachers and school managers.

"For instance, teachers will tend to lose morale during normal school days, believing that they will be able to make more money during the holidays. Again, if a school has three English teachers, picking the one to teach during vacation becomes a challenge,” he explains.

Gerard Rutali, the acting director-general in charge of quality and standards at Rwanda Education Board (REB), echoes similar views, reiterating that not every parent can afford fees for holiday lessons.

"However long the holiday is, it’s still meant for students to rest. We want equality among students, and having holiday coaching means that children whose parents can’t afford to pay will be at a disadvantage. If the practice continues, it means some children will be left behind and in the end affects their performance,” says Rutali.

Not so bad after all

Some parents and students who spoke to the Education Times expressed mixed reactions about holiday coaching.

Jacques Umuhoza, a parent from Kigali explains that weak students demand special academic attention and holiday studies come in handy.

"They are effective in improving academic performance. Several studies have shown this. If weak students waste this valuable time, they may not be able to catch up with other students,” says Umuhoza.

Just like Umuhoza, Niyonshuti suggests that weak candidates preparing for exams could use the holidays to master the syllabi.

"Some schools have a problem in completing the syllabus on time and rush students through everything at the last minute. Holiday is the best time to understand everything, most especially if candidates are preparing for their final exams,” he says.

Mitchel Mucyo, a student at the University of Rwanda, says intense coaching helped him improve performance in his final exams.

"After realising that my report cards highlighted a number of weak areas, my father hired a private teacher to assist me during holidays. It worked, I was able to improve gradually and that is how I managed to secure admission at university,” says Mucyo.

Like the old saying goes, ‘work without play makes Jack a dull boy’, other people argue that holidays are meant for students to refresh their minds and they ought to stay away from academic work.

"Most of our children are occupied with loads of work during the normal school days, especially those in private schools. The holiday is the time they are supposed to relax their mind and engage in other activities which are not related to class work,” says, Patrick Muvunyi a parent from Kacyiru.

Peace Uwineza, a parent in Kimironko, explains that too much academic work gets monotonous and affects students’ performance.

"Learning is like working since it involves using the brain. To improve performance you need to rest and if this does not happen for students, they may end up having a low output,” explains Uwineza.

Much as there is a positive correlation between holiday studies and academic performance for some students most academicians express mixed reactions. A given number believes this coaching is important in improving weak areas of students while others equate the practice to a form of child abuse.

Most studies however suggest that students need some time to break away from routine school activities, a time they should use for non-academic activities.

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YOUR VIEWS ON HOLIDAY COACHING

Evariste Uwamurengeye, resident of Nyamasheke DistrictAs a parent, I would first assess my child and establish their area of weakness. If their academic performance is good, there would be no need of taking them for holiday coaching. I will let them rest so that their mind is fresh enough for the next term.

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Lillian Umutoniwase, a university studentI think holiday coaching is not a good idea. First, it only favours parents who are financially stable. Coaching only makes students from poor families lag behind more academically. If the government could find a way of doing away with it completely, it would be a good step in ensuring equality.

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Claudette Uwamahoro, a parent from KimironkoI believe during holidays students shouldn’t be put on pressure to study; rather, this would be the ideal time for them to help out their parents with home chores and other businesses. Teachers should use school days well so that they allow children time to rest.

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Venuste Uwakurikiza, a teacherI would recommend holiday coaching only for special cases. For instance, if a child is a slow learner, the parents should find a way of coaching them especially during holidays so that they can catch up with others when school opens. However, it all depends on the financial status of the parents.

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Carine Uwineza, a studentPersonally, I don’t go for holiday coaching. I always do revision after finishing other chores. Going to class during the holiday is tiresome and it doesn’t give one enough time to rest. Doing away with it would be ideal.