By Amaka Abayomi & Laju Arenyeka

Holiday lessons used to be an excuse for parents to get their children out of the house, while gearing them up for the next academic session.
For children, it was not just an opportunity to get ahead academically, but to spend time with their friends in a more relaxed environment.

For school authorities and other educationists, holiday lessons presented an opportunity to make extra money. However, with the recent plague of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, holiday lessons are taking on a whole new meaning—an increased risk of contracting the disease.

Determined to ensure the safety of their children, many parents who spoke to Vanguard Learning are boycotting holiday lessons.  One of such parents is Mrs. Chinyere Chidiadi, who has shelved plans of allowing her children attend summer school for fear of contracting the virus. According to her, “there is no way I would allow my kids go for summer lesson because I don’t know who and what they may come in contact with, especially as the initial symptoms are similar to those of malaria.

“I have taught my children to adopt and maintain proper hygiene, part of which is washing their hands often, particularly before and after meals, after using the toilet and whenever they come into the house.

I have also made them understand the importance of not touching or shaking hands with everybody they come in contact with.”     Aware that her efforts are part of a whole to the solution, this concerned mother urged school authorities, especially teachers, to make it a point of duty to teach their students the act of proper and regular washing of hand and the use of hand sanitizers.

Another parent, Mrs. Lola Idowu, is also keeping her children away from holiday lessons.  “I don’t want to take chances with my children’s health,’ she said, ‘instead a teacher comes to the house for private lessons. I pray that a solution to this virus would have been found by the time school resumes to prevent an epidemic from happening.”
Another parent who did not want his name in print told our reporters that he had withdrawn his son from the holiday academy his mother earlier enrolled him in.

He said: ‘My son was enrolled in a holiday academy without my knowledge; as soon as I heard, I withdrew him from there because I don’t want him relating directly with too many people and increasing the chances of catching the virus.’
Fourteen year old student Chinasa Ikebi, attends summer lessons despite the Ebola palaver. However, some of her teachers are not as courageous.

‘I usually attend lessons  organized by my church, but last week alone, about three of our teachers refused to come to teach and when we called them they said that they were afraid of catching Ebola.’ Some other students who spoke to Vanguard Learning said they are attending summer schools but are taking the necessary precautions like regular hand washing, use of hand sanitizers and less hand and body contact with people.