By Olakunle Olafioye
The long school holiday is here again. For many students, the final school bell before the vacation means much more than the end of another term. It signals the start of a period of rest, new experiences, family time and opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. While many people see the long break simply as time away from school, it remains an important part of a child’s growth, helping to build academic confidence, social skills, emotional well-being and physical development.
Yet, the excitement that once surrounded the annual long holiday is gradually disappearing. The carefree weeks that many children once looked forward to after months of hard work are no longer what they used to be. For many families, holidays that were once filled with travel, visits to relatives, outdoor fun and memorable experiences have given way to the harsh realities of rising living costs, security worries and packed schedules of holiday coaching and extra lessons.
Holiday fun fading away
Unlike in the past, when students eagerly looked forward to the long school holidays with excitement, many now say the extended break brings anything but joy. For Victor Olayiwola, the long vacation is a period of boredom because it temporarily separates him from many of his school friends.
“The holiday means being away from my friends at school. Even when my parents allow me to attend summer coaching, we only have a short time together because classes run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon without any break. Once lessons end, we go straight home and remain indoors for the rest of the day until the next morning. I really don’t fancy the long vacation,” he said.
For 15-year-old SS 2 student Faith Omeri, the holiday comes with increased responsibilities rather than freedom. Instead of relaxing, Faith sees the holiday as a period she comes under the immense pressure of having to combine the roles of a caregiver and student by looking after her younger siblings while her mother is away at work.
“My mum leaves for work very early every day, so I am always left at home with my younger brothers and my little sister until she returns. Although she bathes them before leaving, every other responsibility—feeding them, cleaning them up, and taking care of other household chores—falls on me. Having to do all these throughout the holiday makes the long vacation far less exciting for me,” she said.
Lost adventure of long vacations
Many adults who enjoyed memorable holidays during their childhood now look back with nostalgia at a tradition they believe is gradually disappearing.
Reminiscing, Mrs. Nkechi Nwaeri, a school teacher, recalled that the long vacation was always the most anticipated period of the year because it brought together members of the extended family and created unforgettable memories.
“We usually travelled to the village to spend time with our grandparents. Our cousins, nephews and nieces were always around, making the holidays lively and enjoyable. It was also a period of new experiences. We accompanied our grandfather to the farm, learnt about life in the village, visited the river where we were taught how to swim, and enjoyed fresh fruits picked straight from the trees. Those were unforgettable moments,” she recalled.
She lamented that today’s children are missing such experiences because of economic hardship and insecurity.
“The challenging economy and the high cost of living have reduced families’ ability to afford vacations, outings or recreational activities. High transport fares discourage families from visiting relatives or places of interest during school breaks. Many parents now concentrate more on their jobs, leaving them with little time to spend with their children during holidays. In recent years, concerns about kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and other crimes have made many families reluctant to travel or allow children to leave the safety of the home,” she said.
Hardship, insecurity redefining holiday traditions
As a child, Mr. Princewill Okoh saw the long vacations more as a welcome escape from the strict discipline of his late father and an opportunity to experience a different environment.
“I cherished and longed for the long vacations when I was still a student because I saw them as a way to escape from the prying eyes of my disciplinarian father. Whenever the third-term holiday was approaching, I became excited because I knew I would enjoy a temporary respite from his cane,” he recalled.
Beyond the relief, Okoh said the holidays also offered him opportunities for exploration and social development.
“In the past, holiday periods were truly exciting. Sadly, many children today do not enjoy such experiences because of the challenging situation we find ourselves in. This is unhealthy for their emotional and social development. Long school vacations are important because they give students opportunities to rest, grow and prepare for the next academic session,” he said.
Many observers identify Nigeria’s worsening economic situation as one of the major reasons the country’s holiday culture has declined. The rising cost of transportation and cost of living have made holiday visits increasingly expensive, while insecurity has discouraged many families from allowing children to travel.
Parents counting cost
A parent, Mrs. Kikelomo Akanji, believes one of the desirable treats parents can give their children during the holidays is a change of environment for new experience and to broaden their worldview. In addition, she is of the opinion that spending time with relatives helps strengthen family bonds and exposes children to new experiences.
However, she acknowledged that financial realities have made such trips difficult. “In those days, travelling during holidays was almost like a tradition. Today, you have to consider your financial capacity as well as that of the relatives receiving your children. You cannot simply assume they can conveniently cater for additional mouths for several weeks. Parents must put themselves in the shoes of those who want to host their children before making such arrangements,” she said.
She added that insecurity has further discouraged holiday travels. “The security situation in the country has changed considerably. Cases of kidnapping, robbery and other crimes make many parents unwilling to allow their children to travel. There are also concerns about child abuse and molestation of children, even within extended families. These realities make many parents think twice before sending their children out for holidays with friends and family members,” she explained.
Holidays not another school term
Education experts insist that holidays are meant for much more than a break from classroom activities. They argue that the increasing practice of organising summer coaching classes during the vacation deprives children of important developmental opportunities.
An educationist Mrs. Yemisi Folaranmi said holidays play a vital role in children’s emotional, mental and physical well-being.
According to her, after months of assignments, examinations and demanding school schedules, the holiday gives students an opportunity to recover from the physical and mental strain of the academic session.
“Holiday breaks allow families to spend quality time together. They also enable children to pursue interests outside the classroom, relax and recover from academic pressure. These breaks are essential for their mental health, yet many children are deprived of them because parents now face competing economic demands,” she noted.
She criticised some private schools for extending academic activities into the holiday period. “Many private schools have introduced holiday coaching because they know parents can no longer afford traditional holiday experiences. As a result, children spend several additional weeks doing repetitive school work instead of resting. This often leaves them mentally exhausted before the next academic term begins,” she said.
Making holidays more rewarding
Folaranmi maintained that schools can make holidays more enriching without imposing heavy financial burdens on parents. “Rather than focusing almost entirely on academics, schools should organise sports clinics, music lessons, arts and crafts, cultural activities, talent exhibitions, film shows and seminars on life skills. Such programmes can provide meaningful learning experiences while allowing children to relax and discover new talents at affordable costs,” she suggested.
Mrs Nwaeri, on her part, urged parents to be more actively involved in their children’s holidays. “Creating memorable holidays is not always about spending money. Parents should make time for their children, possibly by planning their annual leave to coincide with the school vacations. Spending quality time together strengthens family bonds and creates lasting memories that children will always treasure,” she advised.
A cooperative approach to holiday care
An educationist, Mrs. Helen Etuk, recommended a cooperative or rotational holiday arrangement among trusted friends and families with similar parenting values.
According to her, parents and extended family members can agree to host one another’s children at different periods during the holiday, exposing them to new environments while ensuring proper supervision.
“When my children were younger, they did not have the privilege of spending their holidays with their grandparents because they had all passed away. My husband and I therefore reached an arrangement with one of my sisters and one of my sisters-in-law. The children would spend part of the holiday in our house and later stayed with their aunties. It worked because we shared similar parenting values and trusted one another. Parents with common values can adopt such arrangements to give their children enjoyable and memorable holiday experiences,” she said.
Keeping the spirit of the holiday alive
As schools round off for another long vacation, educationists insist that holidays should remain a period for rest, family interaction, creativity and personal growth. They maintain that while economic hardship and insecurity have altered family routines, parents, schools and communities can still work together to ensure children enjoy meaningful holiday experiences that contribute positively to their overall development.
(The Sun)