Why preps are important for students
This is the time during which Learners have virtual control of their own education without the presence of a teacher.
Previously, students would wake up very early and sleep late so that they could have this time (night and morning preps) to interact with the books.
However, EducationEducation Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu asked administrators of schools to start normal class hours at 8.00 am and end at 3.45pm.
Machogu observed that schools forced learners in day schools to be on the road early hours in the morning and made those in boarding schools to sleep for less than 8 hours contrary to the Basic Education Regulations, 2015.
The CS has valid reasons as to why schools shouldn’t have preps. However, all education stakeholders know the importance of the preps to candidates.
A well-constructed timetable establishes a natural rhythm and routine which serves the educational needs of both teachers and students.
Educational policy, curricular and standards provides for the intellectual diversity among Learners. When the available time for learning is the equal for all Learners, the difference between fast learners and slow students becomes wider.
The curricular has taken care of the differences by providing extra time for slower learners (preps) to master the content taught earlier.
The 6 hours prescribed by the Ministry of Education for normal teaching takes care of the first, the average and the slow learners.
The pace of teaching allows all learners to make sense, although in different degrees, of the new concepts they are experiencing.
The three categories of learners use preps time differently. Why preps are important for students
The bright learner gets opportunities to either study more complex content on what they were taught earlier or they study new concepts ahead of the class.
The average and slow learner gets an opportunity to strengthen their mastery of the topics. In the best of educational circumstances, teachers would be available for slow learners to go through the topics taught earlier for the learners to catch up.
A flexible timetable enables all Learners to get the opportunity to interact with other sources of the curriculum other than the teacher through studying course books and other texts.
Former Quality Assurance and Standards Officer Alex Majani argues that preps enable students to learn to manage their own time and studies, independent of the structured life associated with normal class hours.
He adds that with discipline, all students are able to learn research skills on their own. Preps help build confidence in learners. It helps the bright ones to gather knowledge that may help them beyond the prescribed curriculum.
During preps time, students get exposed to books other than course books which exposes them to a body of knowledge, skills and attitudes that education policy, curricular and standards seeks to impart to learners.
This knowledge enables the students to have better mastery of the prescribed curriculum.
In time, the school has a normal spread of performance of students in national examinations because the flexible teaching and learning environment was friendly both to the teacher and the learner.
Preps enables teachers to prepare for the series of topics to be taught while the learners get time to internalize what the teacher is taught and also deepen and broaden their understanding of what was taught.
