Zimbabwean children need after school programs. They are living in an age where there is negativity around them. From drug and alcohol abuse to loneliness and depression. They are facing the world with the pressure from it. Social media and a fast-paced world do not make it easy for them to be themselves. The increase of after school programs in their curricular will help. Having them engaged in activities will help them cope.
What are after-school programs?
An after-school program is an activity or experience for children after daily formal classes. Here children are in an organised environment with supervision. In addition, it allows children to have the opportunity to engage with peers. A blog post by iD Tech has more on this.
These programs give opportunities to children to be productive and have fun. Furthermore, children learn new skills to help them when they get older. Some of these skills can even lead to a career. Such skills include drama, cooking and playing instruments. This is not only for their productivity but a way to keep them busy and out of trouble.
The reasons for introducing such programs.
Drug use and abuse among children has been on the increase. This has left not only parents, but all concerned citizens asking, what next? Moreover, children have had to deal with mental issues in a non-productive way. Programs such as these will keep them mentally stimulated and positively distracted.
Consequently, having after-school programs will ease their mental burdens. It will significantly help with their mental health. A healthy mind directly translates to a healthy body. Adding such a program to the new curriculum will be a huge benefit for the children and the communities the live. It will help them de-stress. It can also give birth to new positive friendships for life.
However, chances are high that not everyone will embrace after-school programs. It is normal to have people oppose such initiatives for various reasons. From those complaining about the number of hours children will be away from home. To those complaining about how much it would cost parents, it is imperative to still move forward.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that such programs are birthed and strive. It is important to prioritise affordability. In addition, ensuring that children sign up is important as well. The fun they are the more kids there will be to sign up.
Zimbabwe is a nation with a lot of problems. Children have not been spared from facing these problems. Ensuring that the future leaders are taken care of now is important. Introducing such programs will help in making the happy and productive.
