Breaking the Stigma: Rethinking Vacation Revision Programmes

Do we consider summer school to be a thing in the Caribbean? I don’t think we use the term the way we’ve adopted—say, the use of ‘prom’ instead of graduation. This is possibly because we have become so accustomed to lesson culture that it just falls naturally to say we go to lessons or camp during the ‘summer’ (another term we’ve adopted) instead of July/August vacation. Nevertheless, for any student to be told that they have been signed up for any academic programme during what was supposed to be their vacation can only be met with resistance, resentment and groans.

In many cases, we have to admit they have not been signed up because they have been struggling in school and need to catch up, but because parents need somewhere to plant them during the school vacation while they work. This is not denying the fact that there is a need for some sort of academic enrichment programme for students. If you glimpse some of the end of year reports, you’d certainly agree.

Enter the Ministry of Education’s Vacation Revision programme implemented to ‘bridge notable gaps in student learning’. It is a 5-week programme across 82 Primary Schools and 21 Secondary schools. The programme is structured with a combination of academic (Mathematics and Language Arts) and Cultural Initiatives alongside structured counseling sessions.

So we have the programme. There’s a but…

How do you get people to show up? No matter how we phrase it, many still see this as a form of Summer school and for many—summer school means remediation and that means it carries a stigma. The next question becomes, how do we break the stigma  surrounding revision programmes and Summer school?

Well, we’d first have to address the origin of the stigma which stems from the perception that any revision, programme or place outside of the traditional structure of classes is seen as a punishment and last resort for struggling students. This means we’d have to shift the narrative about any revision programme. The perception of revision programmes only being about academics is not evidenced by the current revision programme which includes  Best Village, Digital Literacy and Smart Planting. 

Next we’d have to promote the programme by spreading awareness. The best PRO’s for this would be students themselves sharing their testimonials. The advantage is that the current Vacation Revision Programme is not a pilot project, so there’s definitely a group of past enrolled students to involve by highlighting their success.

My involvement in the Vacation Revision Programme has certainly shifted my perception of things. While some of the structure of traditional school is there: academic enrichment, reinforcing core concepts, enhancing exam preparation and a focused environment for learning in smaller classes, there were also the opportunities to teach study habits, and the incorporation of collaborative games that made learning fun. It was interesting to note that there were a couple of students that one would next expect in such a programme, i.e. the high performers. When questioned about their participation in the programme, their response highlighted another way that such programmes can contribute to student growth, namely maintaining academic momentum. As the weeks pass by, notice the way that students begin to gain more confidence as they accomplish their academic tasks.

A great deal of thought and planning went into the programme, from manuals, free breakfast and lunch and the inclusion of non academic activities that by their inclusion allayed the concerns of parents about cost and burnout. Overall, it might be in our best interest to rethink the stigma around revision programmes and begin to see them as an opportunity to grow and invest in our future.

Copyright © Lana. S. 2024