Let Saturdays restore curiosity, not extend school fatigue

For many Junior High School students in Ghana, Saturday is no longer a day for rest, family time, sport or personal discovery. It has become another school day.

In some schools, Saturday classes are presented as compulsory or made indirectly compulsory: pupils are told that new topics will be taught, assessments may be given, or absence could leave them behind.

Parents are then placed under pressure to pay additional fees. Some may welcome Saturday classes because they keep their children occupied while adults work or manage responsibilities at home. But we must ask: are we using Saturdays to educate children well, or simply extending an already demanding school week?

This is not an argument against academic support. Learners preparing for the BECE, struggling with particular subjects or needing remedial attention should have access to voluntary, targeted support. However, making every Saturday an extension of normal classroom teaching can deepen burnout, reduce opportunities for play and rest, and create the unhealthy belief that education means constant examination preparation.

Ghana needs a better Saturday model: one that complements classroom teaching with practical learning, joy, physical activity and curiosity.

Rather than compulsory lectures in Mathematics, English and Integrated Science every Saturday, schools could introduce optional or rotating Saturday Enrichment and Skills Programmes. These should not become another avenue for unregulated fees. They should be designed with parent participation, transparent charges where necessary, and clear standards from the Ghana Education Service.

A good Saturday programme could include cooking and nutrition, gardening, sewing, hair care, carpentry, coding, robotics, electronics, public speaking, drama, music, local-language literacy, French or other language clubs, debate, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and sports. One Saturday, a learner could prepare a nutritious local meal; another could involve building a simple electrical circuit; another could be spent playing football, participating in athletics, dance or debate.

This approach is consistent with Ghana’s educational vision. The national curriculum already includes Creative Arts, Computing, Ghanaian Language, French, Physical Education and Health, Career Technology and other practical areas alongside core subjects.

The Creative Arts and Design curriculum specifically identifies skills such as handling tools and materials, observation, craftsmanship, creativity and communication. Saturday enrichment can help turn these curriculum intentions into real experiences rather than leaving them as subjects on a timetable.

The benefits could be significant. Students tired of repeated classroom routines would have opportunities to learn differently. A child who does not excel in written examinations may discover confidence through baking, sports, coding, music, woodworking or public speaking. Another may develop an early interest in robotics, agriculture, fashion, hospitality, engineering or entrepreneurship.

Children are naturally curious. They learn by observing, making, questioning, testing and solving real problems. Giving them space for these experiences supports not only academic learning but also confidence, teamwork, communication and resilience. Research and student perspectives also highlight the value of play and holistic learning in supporting creativity and reducing stress.

Parents must also be part of the solution. Some families genuinely need safe, supervised spaces for their children on Saturdays. Yet schools should not use this need merely to sell more classroom hours. Parents can demand a better arrangement: one where children are safe, engaged and learning useful skills without being overloaded with notes, tests and fear.

The Ghana Education Service should issue clear guidelines on Saturday classes in basic schools. Schools should not make paid academic Saturday classes compulsory or penalise pupils who do not attend.

Where weekend programmes are organised, they should prioritise enrichment, practical skills, sports and voluntary academic support. Fees, if any, should be transparent and approved, with safeguards for children from low-income families.

Saturday should not be another day of school fatigue. It can become a day when a child discovers a talent, learns a language, plays a sport, solves a practical problem, builds something with their hands or simply regains the joy of learning.

Ghana’s future will need young people who can pass examinations. But it will also need healthy, creative, confident and curious young people who can solve problems beyond the classroom.