Too many extra-classes, little time to study: How the disregard for self-directed learning process may explain the reason for massive failure in external examinations

In about four weeks time, our students in Anglophone West Africa would be commencing the WASSCE. Some for the first time, and many others for another turn. So far, the last results were awful and worrisome, to say the least. Some critics argue that it's the worst result since after the Civil War that officially ended in 2002.   In attempting to give possible explanation as to why the state of education (in terms of promotional rate) is retrogressing, analysts have propounded several conflicting and yet convincing theories. Most of whom blaming the lack of trained and qualified teachers; and others (call them conspiracy theorists) politics. While both proponents put up convincing points, the subject of lack of self-directed learning, I can say, has been given less attention. Knowles (1975, p. 18-- as cited by Bear A. A. G., 2nd November, 2012) suggested that self-directed learning as a process takes place when: "Individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying  human and material resources for learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes."
We all need a guide/teacher to decode certain information. That's why we go to school and spend up to 5 hours in class almost everyday in highschool. But in the journey to acquiring knowledge, the greater task is left with the learner. The school introduces us to concept and walk us through key principles. It's then left with us the individual learners to explore further and understand them well- to ensure they stick with us either in verbatim or in concept. Learning goes further than accumulating notes and listening others teach. A student must take his/her extra-time to self-direct their learning process. It's an absolute betrayal by teachers to normalize extra-classes for students when they have all the time to give their best to students during normal school. In order to extort parents and their students alike, they deprived the  students quality teaching in normal active schooling hours just so they could persuade them to attend extra classes for a sum that will never quench their thirst for illicit money.
On the students side, here is what extra-classes can do to them:
1. It deprives students of their right to leisure: Leisure (adult play) is essential in reliving stress and promoting wellbeing of students (playing can stimulate the release of endorphins or feel-good chemicals in the body). Adult play can also help improve brain function and stimulate the mind and enhance creativity through puzzle and task solving. We need to encourage our students to have time for leisure after school. We are not training robots. Too much academic stress can lead to health complications and poor concentration of adult learners (see: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm); and
2. Extra-classes can kill the reading skill of students: students spend most of their time in extra-classes taking notes rather than reading the notes they have already accumulated since JSS 1 or (as in the case for those in Senior high) SS1. Teachers would succeed in confusing the students the more by giving them the same notes they had being giving in normal Schooling hours by different teachers along the line to JSS3 or SS3. They will copy the same notes they had in previous other classes over and over again without grasping a thing from them. They would spend one fourth of the night taking notes in these extra-classes, and get back home exhausted and stressed up for sleep. No time to study or revise on their own. They would hardly read accurately. In many instances, these students cannot read a whole paragraph without getting stuck several times along the way by simple jargons. If they finally reach the finish line, they would not make out what they read. We simply are not allowing them to have time on their own to read. As per the principles of self-directed learning, they should spend more time to identify the learning tools and methods on their own than relying completely on someone to aid them. Aiding should come at a point where they need clarification. But unfortunately for our own students, they literally spend 90 per cent of their time taking notes and lectures rather than self directing their learning process. It's when you are allowed to read enough that your reading and writing skills will improve virtually further (see:https://theboar.org/2019/02/reading-improve-writing-skills/). Their is no way our students can write sense or give something back they didn't not read. Listening alone is not enough for examinations. In order to give good performance in examinations, one has to be a good writer too. And the beta way to enhance your writing potentials is to read widely. You may already have all the notes you are chasing after, but you just can't figure it out because you don't have time to read. You are busy taking notes instead of studying the few you have. You stand a better chance when you master the few notes you have than accumulating it all and knowing none.

So I argue that in order to boost the performance of our students in the external examinations, we need to permit the students to have enough time to leisure and self-study under our supervision and aid. Teachers who call for extra-classes in normal Schooling weeks are not only extorting Students and parents, but they are also draining our students the energy they should save for self-directed learning at home whilst also killing the students' learning potentials. Extra-classes are in fact more detrimental to girl-pupils who are apportioned greater responsibility in carrying the house chores after school. As though that's not enough to exhaust them, they will be forced (technically) to attend extra-classes to make up for the quality lecture the teacher deprived them in school just for little sum. The need for extra-classes should only come about in the weekends to revise notes taking throughout the week for students' benefit. The ministry of education has a role to play in identifying teachers involved in these practices and taking the right actions against them. They are simply killing our students' learning opportunity and their future.
#My_Opinion

©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
® Students Analysts and Writers Network
®The Emmanuel Ivorgba Foundation