Nursery schools: why we give kids homework

Last week, the ministry of Education and Sports directed nursery schools to stop giving kids homework.

The government gave the directive, during a review of the country’s education sector to allow children to develop their mental abilities through recreational activities.

But in an interview with The Nile Post, Annet Nakasunga, a nursery teacher defended the practice of giving nursery pupils homework saying this boosts the development of the child.

Nakasunga said while many people may see it as torture to children, the nursery education curriculum is designed to favour early child hood development.

"We usually give home work basing on what we have taught that day for us to be able to assess whether the kids understood and its not always that much," said Nakasunga.

She said as trained nursery teachers,  the homework helps them to get ready for primary education.

"Nursery is a grooming stage for kids and the earlier the better for them, more parents pay their money and will always want results,” she said Nakasunga.

But to some parents, government's decision was long overdue.

"We usually end up doing the homework for these kids and it’s a burden to us. We do support government's decision because these kids are too young to handle such," one parent said.

In nursery, the major component of learning emphasises how to socialize, how to interact with other children and the world, and being introduced to new things.

According to government this does not require a child to carry a bagful of work to be done back at home.