Studying towards one’s final examinations at the basic and second cycle levels of the educational system is tedious. It becomes more tedious when one is studying in an atmosphere of fear where COVID-19 still lurks round and the number of its patients keep increasing by the day.

Since schools have partially been reopened and studies must continue, it is important to draw the attention of students that, it is in the abnormal times that great feats are achieved. It is further in these times that students must brace themselves and make hay while the sun shines. This is the time that students right from the basic to the second cycle levels must make a name for themselves and make their parents proud. Nelson Mandela once noted that it seems impossible until it is done.

While one encourages students to strive and come out in flying colours it is worthy to note that, there are some students and pupils in rural areas of this country who have to contend with teacher absenteeism, dilapidated classroom blocks, the inability to finish the syllabi; again, there are some too who as a result of their long stay at home have either become teenage expectant mothers or have lost interest in school. No matter what, one can’t make excuses of refusing to get formal education; for it is said that excuses are like leeches, they eat up one’s vision and foresight. The reasons of refusing to return to school today may sound good, but they may not be good sound reasons.

Some parents may also entertain fear to allow their wards to return to school since the news of students and pupils testing positive for COVID 19 in some schools keep increasing. It is during this time that parents must encourage their children to observe the COVID 19 protocols. It is in these times that parents must encourage their children not to despair. Moreover, parents who have been too busy to find out about their wards’ academic strength and weaknesses must also use this opportunity to show some concern in their children’s academic issue. In fact, COVID 19 has some advantage: the fear of catching the virus should make pupils and students stay at home and study like they had never studied before; again, the fear of catching the virus should make students at the boarding schools stay in their dormitories at night and burn the midnight candle.

Nothing they say works like hard work. Students across the length and breadth of this country will make history should they work hard and consequently make the best grades this country has ever recorded. Students should have a vision and begin to see themselves at the next level of the academic ladder. The best thing to do as a final year student or pupil while you are staying at home is to study. Work on all the weaknesses, solve as many past questions as possible.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once stated that “the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained in sudden flight but, they while their companions slept, they were toiling upwards in the night.” This should encourage every student to aspire to come out with flying colours. This can further be achieved when students and pupils avoid making calls in the night and study towards their examination, solve as many past questions as possible, and resolve not to depend on what is known in local parlance as ‘apor’.