A few words of advice to students

I hope you are enjoying the festive season with your family, relatives and friends. I would like to believe that you are to celebrate Christmas and the New Year responsibly because there is life after this period. Do not get carried away by excitement. Watch the friends that you hang out with as some of them may involve you in evil acts that are detrimental to your life. It is advisable that you celebrate religiously.You should remember that shortly after this period you will have to report back to school for studies. This means that you have to prepare adequately for the new academic year. Do some research and revision on the aspects that your teachers gave you for the holiday package. This approach will help you fit in the new class easily. It is not good for you to appear at school with a blank mind.There is need for you to remind your parents of the essential school requirements that are reflected in the previous term’s circular to parents. If you report to school without certain essential items, you may be advised to go back and collect them and you may end up wasting time and inconveniencing your parents. For instance, some schools require students to present reams of paper at the beginning of every term. It is, therefore, your responsibility as a student to refer to the circular and find out what you ought to present as you go back to school.It is important that you request your parents to buy for you an English dictionary to boost your understanding of vocabulary. You very well know that English Language is the medium of instruction in Rwandan schools whereby as a learner you have to equip yourself with subject-specific terminology in order to grasp the concepts taught. This can only be possible if you have a copy of the dictionary that you may refer to whenever you encounter strange words. The dictionary can also help you a great deal with spelling and pronunciation of words.If you carried out a random check in a class to establish the number of students who have Mathematical sets, you would realise that the majority do not. This clearly indicates that many students do not attach high value to Mathematical sets. They just keep borrowing from the few who have whenever need arises. You should know that studying science subjects requires you to have a Mathematical set. The idea of borrowing from classmates is not only time wasting but it also inconveniences those who lend you. So, you should be responsible enough by owning a Mathematical set. As you prepare to report back for studies, make sure that you come along with the notebooks that you used during the previous years. We expect you to carry all the notebooks that you have been using since you joined a given level. Remember that knowledge acquisition is cumulative and the examiners for the national examinations base on the entire syllabus for a given subject at a certain level to set the examinations. It is unwise for you to only rely on the work covered in the candidate class. Success is registered by those who read and master all the concepts taught at a given level.You should say no to drugs and alcohol as you prepare to resume your studies next year. If abandoning them is still a challenge to you, please visit a professional counselor for guidance.Lastly, I would like to advise you to report back with a positive attitude towards school administrators, teachers and fellow students. You should be able to relate with those around you harmoniously. Education for a better society should be your guiding principle next year. Merry Christmas, happy New Year and take care.The writer is a teacher at Riviera High School.