Homeschooling in Africa

Showing posts with label Homeschooling in Africa. Show all posts

Objections to Homeschooling from Nigerians || BBC Interview on Homeschooling In Nigeria

April 4, 2024

We are in a time in our history when mainstream media is interested in Homeschooling as a concept and it is something that will be welcome at the same time I don't think we are ready to be open-minded to learn and not be stuck in our ways.

BBC interviewed me last month on Homeschooling and I was so excited to talk about one of my favourite topics.

As expected there were a lot of comments both negative and positive one interesting thing was how divided it was across platforms. Most of the comments from Facebook were negative and those on Instagram were positive.

In this article, I want to talk extensively on each of the objections and comments made, in case someone out there also needs some education.

On Competition & Real Life:

I have wondered why people think competition is important for the development of a child. I understand that there are some positive aspects of healthy competition but I can't help but wonder if it's the best thing for children at such tender ages. Some of what might be termed as the positive aspects of competition can easily be taught to children independently but we are not willing to do the work, are we? Taking time to teach your child to be disciplined, think critically, manage their time etc are things we can do ourselves. On the other hand is learning it from being "among their peers" there is the tendency to get low self-esteem, undue pressure and stress and focus on winning instead of deep learning in the process. Every situation of competition we find in the real world are things that are optional, you can choose to enrol in a sport, you can choose to apply for a scholarship, you can choose to xyz. It's all a choice and when you make the choice you prepare for what it entails. Even in our everyday life as we are older now one of the mantras we say is "You are not in competition with anyone" because when you are living your life on your lane, you are really not in competition with anyone but we condition children to be in competition then when they grow older tell them they are not in competition? Sigh! Think about it, after we got positions all through primary and secondary school, did all that matter in real life? Nah! I propose, picking out the values we think we see from competition and teach our children those values independently and guess where it will start and end? At HOME!

"Integration" back into society:

I don't know why when people hear Homeschooling they think it means you are chained by the forces of nature to your house. Homeschooling only means you have made the choice to not educate your child through an alternative method that is not the traditional school system. Simple. I wish I could scream it loud for everyone to hear, Homeschooling is not equal to isolation!!!! Homeschooling doesn't mean you won't meet your mates, doesn't mean you won't meet other people in this world. We have to understand that school is also not a cure for the personalities of children, some children go to school and are still very socially awkward and don't interact much with people and it is just the child's personality.

On Socialization:

I have a detailed article on the blog on socialisation because I can clearly see people don't know what they are talking about. You can read up on socialisation here

On your influence and the downgrade of parents:

The world as we know it continues to downgrade our role as parents. We are supposed to be in charge of our children's education whether or not they are in traditional school. They want you to just be in charge of lessons and holidays which is not majority of the time. You should not just mearly pick a "good" school, you should also be involved with the curriculum, teaching methods and strategies ensuring it suits your child and adding or removing what doesn't align with the vision you have for them. People will make you feel like you wanting to have influence in your children's lives (as it should be) is you being controlling, absolutely not. Our role is to guide our children until they are mature enough and it is something we should do unapologetically.

On selfishness & wickedness:

Some people think making the choice to homeschool is a selfish and wicked decision on the part of the parent but I don't blame them because they think you are depriving your child of quality education. Think about this for a second, the children from low-income families that can't go to school do we automatically call the parents selfish and wicked? No why because we say oh they can't afford it that's why(I still believe homeschooling can solve this problem of out of school children but that's a conversation for another day). But a parent who is not neglecting her child but just because she didn't choose to educate the child in the 4 walls of a classroom is selfish? What is selfish? when you are putting your own needs at the fore. I can boldly say that the choice to homeschool is one of the most selfless acts a parent can perform. You are thinking mostly about the child and how it can be beneficial to the child. How can you say that a parent is being wicked to the child because they are not choosing to allow them to learn from their peers? The same peers that bully, use harsh words and are also learning themselves? How would you say it's wickedness that a parent doesn't want a "blind" child to also lead her equally "blind" child?

If you want to learn about homeschooling I suggest books you can start with here.

Sportsmanship & extracurricular activities:

I was absolutely appalled by this position. When you bring lesson teachers to your house did you do it in the school? Or did the teacher say oh we only do lessons for children who are in schools? You can independently join an extracurricular activity, you can sign up for whatever sport you want, and you can find a coach for everything and anything. Again, homeschooling doesn't mean a force is holding you back from leaving your house or keeping people from interacting with you. You can even have more time to dedicate to your sports and extracurricular activities when you homeschool.

In conclusion; Homeschooling is beneficial to both the child(ren) and the family but as a people, we need to be more open-minded and understand that because someone chose a different path it doesn't mean they are attacking your choice. The internet is a blessing and we should be ready to do the research that is necessary to educate ourselves so we can be better informed and maybe make better arguments!

Do you have any objections to homeschooling?

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How to effectively Homeschool in Africa

July 18, 2023

Homeschooling in Africa is still in its early stages when compared to somewhere like the USA that has over 50 years under her belt, while there are thriving Homeschooling communities in countries like Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, etc. we still have a dearth of information about Homeschooling in Africa. In this article I would be exploring, our strengths and our unique challenges in Africa with regard to Homeschooling, and how we can still thrive regardless of those challenges.

Introduction:

Let's start with defining what Homeschooling is; I always define Home education as parenting pro max because your child is in your face 90% of the time but that's just my own definition, a more acceptable one is creating an individualized education for your child. It is an alternative form of education where parents take on the primary responsibility for their children's learning. I believe Africans need to embrace Home education as a viable alternative to education and not just for individuals but as a way to curb the current out-of-school children or children from low-income families, but that is a conversation for another day.

Understand The Benefits of Homeschooling in Africa:

There are some general benefits of Homeschooling but when we look at most African countries, we are still behind with global education standards. Here are some benefits to us as Africans

- Personalized Learning: Tailored education to meet each child's unique needs and learning style.

- Cultural Celebration: Incorporating local cultures, traditions, and languages into the curriculum, in a world where our culture is fading into the background, we have the opportunity to celebrate and incorporate our culture into the education our children receive. Once we have a true African network of Homeschoolers we can cross-promote our rich cultural experiences.

- Flexibility: Ability to create a schedule that balances education with other responsibilities and activities.

- Access to Digital Resources: Utilizing online learning tools, books, and educational apps that are diverse for a well-rounded education.

- Nurturing Environment: Encouraging exploration of interests and development of critical thinking skills and curating the environment of your children to fit those interests.

- Strong Parent-Child Bond: Active parental involvement fosters a strong relationship and instills essential values.

- Life Skills Preparation: Equipping children with practical life skills for success in a diverse world.

- Freedom: There are still quite a number of countries that don't have any formal structure for Homeschooling and that can also be a benefit because you have the freedom to give your child the education you know they deserve without the government limiting your power as a parent.

Understanding The Challenges of Homeschooling in Africa:

We also have our unique challenges in this part of the world and once we understand them, it can help us know how to navigate it better.

- High cost of getting curriculums & resources: In certain regions, access to quality educational materials and resources can be challenging and expensive because you might get boxed curriculums from countries like the USA and when you consider exchange rates and shipping costs, it starts running high.

- Legal Recognition and Regulation: Homeschooling for the most part of Africa lack formal recognition, leading to uncertainties and potential legal barriers in some countries.

- Lack of awareness: Homeschooling not being mainstream can cause people to question your decision, offer you unsolicited advice, and just make the experience not so pleasant outside of your circles.

- Time and Commitment: Homeschooling requires a significant time commitment from parents, impacting their other responsibilities and activities, and being in a difficult economy this can pose a challenge as you might become a one-income family.

- Lack of Support Networks: In some areas, the absence of homeschooling communities and support networks can lead to isolation.

- Parental Qualifications: Parents may feel inadequately qualified to teach certain subjects or address advanced educational needs.

- Standardized Testing and Assessments: Homeschooling families may encounter challenges in accessing standardized testing or assessments required for certain educational paths or future opportunities.

Understanding the legal and regulatory concerns:

We have to understand the legalities and regulations that are available to each African country; Based on my research only South Africa has a law legalizing Homeschooling and only Sierra Leone has banned Homeschooling. Every other country doesn't have any specific law banning or endorsing Homeschooling. In South Africa, there are guidelines for Homeschooling families to follow.

Understanding how to map out your child's education in Africa:

For you to make Homeschooling effective in Africa, you have to understand the trajectory your child's education will take so you can know what you would like to do. In the USA for example, there are different ways you can use to record your child's education transcript and everything they get up to so it makes transitioning to traditional school/college seamless, however, in most African countries there are no set guidelines or regulations to follow so you have to be proactive as a parent.

In whatever African country you are, you have to understand where your child will transition back into the traditional schooling or the exams needed to write to get into the university and prepare for that. I know in Nigeria, we write an exam after Primary 6, After Jss3 and SS3 (Jamb & Waec) to enter the university. You have to make a plan ahead to know where you will transition them and prepare them for those exams if you want to.

Understanding the need for assessment and record keeping:

In countries, where Homeschooling is thriving and growing, is because a lot of Homeschoolers are documenting their journey, and success stories, and also asides from that, because we are not forced by the government to keep records doesn't mean we shouldn't. We have to make the habit of assessing our kids and keeping detailed records of their progress not because we want to prove anything to anyone but because it is important to measure for more societal acceptance.

Understanding the need for advocacy & recognition:

We need to continue to raise awareness for the availability of this alternative form of education. That is one of the goals of the Annual Conference that is put together for Africans to raise awareness for Homeschooling as an alternative form of education in Africa. Let's work together to advocate for Home education for the future of our Children!

We offer 1Hour consultations if you are new to homeschooling and you need clarity.

While you are trying to figure out what you want to do in your homeschool, we have 400+ activities you can do with your kids, access it here