Education and Learning: A Fundamental Gift of Time, Age and Space.

By Ogiri John Ogiri 

In contemporary society, the pressure to accelerate academic progress has led many parents to view education as a race to be won rather than a development to be nurtured. This shift often results in children being pushed through school tiers at a pace far exceeding their biological and emotional readiness. This is a worrisome reality. It is important that parents understand danger of this practice.

Dear Parents, If your child leaves primary school before he turns eleven, then you have distorted a very fundamental learning process in that child. 

Stop rushing your child through school.

 I once taught a twelve-year-old student in Year 10 (SS1). I must confess, I faced a Herculean challenge. Despite her bright mind, it was a struggle to get her to absorb, assimilate, and process the abstract complexities embedded in the curriculum, which she, alongside her colleagues, were expected to learn and understand at that level.

While her older peers could bridge the gap between theory and reality, she was often left grasping at shadows. Interestingly, the curriculum at that level expects a certain degree of cognitive maturity. When a child is pushed into environments where the intellectual demands exceed their neurological development, the result isn't "giftedness"—it is often a quiet, overwhelming "survival mode" that kills the joy of discovery. This is the experience of this innocent girl.

 In the end, I couldn't help wondering what a 12 year-old child could be doing in that class. It was a disturbing reality over which I pondered for a long time.

It is important to emphasize that education is not merely the accumulation of facts; it is a social and emotional journey. A child who is significantly younger than their classmates often faces the following challenges:

1. Social Isolation: Difficulty relating to the interests and peer dynamics of older adolescents.

2. Emotional Fragility: Lacking the resilience needed to handle the increased pressure of senior secondary expectations.

3. Surface-Level Learning: Memorizing to pass exams rather than deeply understanding the "why" behind the "what."

A Critical Plea to Parents

Parents, you can do better. Please, help your child by giving them the gift of time.

Stop the Rushing: Academic success is not a sprint to the finish line.

End the Competition: Your child is not a trophy to be displayed or a tool to prove your parenting prowess.

Honour the Process: Allow your children to learn at their own pace, in their own time, and at an age-appropriate level.

The goal of education should be to produce a well-rounded, confident, and capable adult—not just a young graduate. Let them be children while they can; the world will wait for them.

Allow your children to learn at their own pace, time and age.

Education is a fundamental gift of time, not a one-day Marathon to be Completed by all means.

© Ogiri John Ogiri