After attending a promotion exercise in Ikorodu, Lagos State, I had to resume work today. To make it in time for the morning lesson with students preparing for their WAEC examinations, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and got to school before 7:00 a.m. As the English language teacher in charge of these lessons, I teach four times a week, including Saturdays. Unfortunately, the government scheduled these weekend classes without considering the teachers’ work hours or personal plans. Although they aim to help students, it often disrupts our routines as it often leave us with little incentive or recognition for the extra effort.
What’s even more frustrating is that only English and mathematics teachers are required to conduct these weekend lessons. These two subjects are also allocated the highest number of periods during the week, while other subjects get fewer sessions, often just twice a week. Despite these challenges, teachers do their best to meet the students' needs, but for most of the students, reverse is the case as they prefer pleasure over hard work.
This morning, I arrived at school on time, ready to begin, but only three students were present in a class meant for over 150 learners. I waited for about 30 minutes before the number rose to around 60. The late arrival of students was disappointing and frustrating. It made me wonder why I rushed to get to school early when the students themselves showed such laxity.
I remembered that back in my school days, most students would arrive before the teacher. We were eager to learn and respected the importance of punctuality. Sadly, today’s students often show a lack of interest in their education. Their attitudes indicate they are not fully prepared or willing to put in the effort needed for success in their examinations.
To address the situation, I took attendance during the morning lesson and decided to use it as a basis for disciplinary action. The latecomers were punished as a warning to others who might consider coming late in future classes. My intention was to instil a sense of discipline and responsibility among them.
I can say that managing students from the current generation, often referred to as Gen Z, comes with unique challenges. They seem to prioritize social media and leisure activities over their academic responsibilities. Platforms like TikTok and Facebook consume much of their time and attention. It’s disheartening to see how these distractions negatively affect their learning habits.
What is even more worrisome is the behaviour of some students who have been caught watching inappropriate content, including pornography, in their classrooms when teachers are not around. Such incidents reflect the decline in both the moral standards and discipline within the educational system.
Follow