Member representing Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, Hon. (Dr.) Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, has said that the first-term free holiday lesson, which is one of his constituency initiatives, will not hold this December.
In August this year, Hon. (Dr.) Adepoju initiated a free holiday lesson programme for students in secondary schools across the Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, in an effort to improve the standards of education in the two local government areas.
However, the first-term holiday lesson, which is billed to commence shortly after the first-term break, has been temporarily suspended to allow students in various senior secondary schools in the constituency to be with their family and loved ones during the festive period.
Expressing the decision to suspend the holiday lesson, Ibarapakan emphasised the importance of the family unit in raising the leaders of the next generation and the significance of rest for students, adding that constant work without rest or time for relaxation is harmful to one’s well-being. The federal lawmaker also expressed that the students should not be deprived of the opportunity to spend time with their families during the Yuletide and New Year’s celebrations.
“We have a three-week break for this holiday, two weeks of which are for festivities, and the remaining one week should be for the preparation for a new term by the students.
“We appreciate the painstaking efforts of our stakeholders and teachers across the constituency and our free holiday tutors; your indelible roles in shaping the academic performance of our senior secondary school students in the constituency have not gone unnoticed.
“As the first-term break commences this week, we wish our leaders of tomorrow a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance.
“As we are in the joyous mood for festivities, we enjoin the pupils to be of the best behaviour during Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. For them to have a nice time and enjoy the season to the fullest, we have decided to suspend any activity regarding our free holiday lesson for the first-term holiday. Rest assured that we are taking this decision in your best interest, as all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” Ibarapakan said.
The lawmaker, who also doubles as the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Character, appreciated the efforts of all the teachers, including the free holiday tutors in the constituency, adding that their hard work is already having a positive impact on the education of students in the two local government areas of Oyo State.
“We are already seeing the impact of the last free holiday lesson, and this is something significant we cannot afford to fail to uphold in our bid to have a constituency of sane minds, and we owe this impressive moment to both our teachers and our free holiday lesson tutors in the constituency.
“We seriously understand that academic excellence is paramount to the constituency of our dreams, but at the same time, our students, just like others around the world, must be given the chance to feel the presence of their loved ones who are coming from far and near to celebrate this festive period.
“This is a special period of the year, and we must allow them to feel the joy that this season brings. We appreciate all and sundry for your continued support since the beginning of this representation, we ask for more of this kind of support as we prepare for a New Year,” Ibarapakan said.
While wishing both the teachers and the students merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance, Ibarapakan said prizes for the best 15 performing senior secondary school students in the last free holiday lesson are ready for collection.
“Even when we know the students are not expecting it, we see it as a responsibility to do it, and we are pleased to announce that our token of prize as an incentive for the best 15 performing students in our last free holiday lesson is ready, and we believe that this is something they will all be happy about and reaffirm their faith in our policy in revitalising the standard of education in the constituency,” he noted.
