Time crucial for students

IT is good that the Government has relaxed some control measures that were in place in regards to the Covid-19 and allowing schools to resume this week after a very long and dreadful term break (five weeks).
These five weeks may seem reasonable enough to prevent a probable outbreak of the coronavirus in Papua New Guinea but education wise, it is a turbulence in its calendar.
Schools sacrificed three weeks of term one and a week in term two.
Grade 12 students (including grade 8s and 10s) only have three terms of schooling in a year before sitting for the national examinations. They will now need all the time they can get.
Take for instance Gordon Secondary School. With a large population of students, the school requires grade 10s and 12s to attend classes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The other two days are for grades 9s and 11s.
This is a minimum of three-four lesson where normally is five-seven lesson per subject a week.
Other schools suffer the same fate. While teachers may give worksheet and homework for students to do while they are at home, this isn’t enough.
Many students understand concepts better under their teacher’s guidance than by themselves.
As seen in the past, Papua New Guineans are great at pointing fingers and criticising the government’s decision for causing inconveniences.
If a lot of grade 12s around the country do not perform well and miss out on tertiary offers, this will prompt public outrage because the Government did not take heed of teachers’ advice to shut down the academic year.
This is the worst case scenario.
There would not be any problem if the students do well.
If the sailing is smooth everybody enjoys silently but when the sea is rough people start whining and pointing fingers.

Willliam Walllace, Via email