Government at all levels, parents, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and international bodies have been urged to come together to fight the menace of Hurried Child Syndrome.
At a town hall meeting in Abuja, organised by an NGO; A Mother’s Love Initiative (AMLI) in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency of Nigeria, participants unanimously call for serious action against the menace, saying that hurried child syndrome tremendously effects the sustainable development of children and Nigeria as a country.
Hurried child syndrome is a situation where parents rushed children from childhood to adulthood overnight by skipping the processes of natural growth. Warning signs of the syndrome in children include stomach aches, headaches, anxiety, depression, learning difficulties etc.
Mrs Hanatu Enwemadu, the Chief Executive Officer of AMLI in her call for action message, told the government and parents that; “The future of Nigeria and Africa is dependent on the proper growth and development of children.” She stressed; “The need to allow the Nigerian child to grow is of utmost importance. Hurrying a child is a form of abuse that must be stamped out of our society.”
She went on say; “All stakeholders must collaborate and strategically support every effort to curb the practice of hurrying children during their formative years. Hurrying child syndrome is something government mostly importantly must weigh in to ensure that parents desist from.”
Responding to questions from journalists, she added; “Children should be allowed to grow with time, they should be allowed to enjoy their Chidi hood, they should not be forced to do what adults are supposed to do especially in terms of education.
“There is a need for government at all levels, NGOs, CSOs, international bodies and parents to come together to fight this menace.”
Speaking at that event, the Director, Senior Secondary Schools, Federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, who represented the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, said; “The drive by parents and schools to push children through schools is more counter-productive than productive. Studies have shown that the age a child starts school could affect his/her attendance and graduation rate.
“Rushing children to be wonder kids even before they can walk can cause undue stress with its attendant devastating effects. Since rushed children are made to pass through adulthood-related stress, they in tum begin to exhibit adult stress and related health and adult-related delinquent behaviour. Most of them end up underachievers instead of academic prodigies hoped for by their parents. Some also subsequently become a variety ridden and end up with sleep disorder, suicide, depression drugs and crime.
Furthermore, she added; “The phenomenon of rushed children has remained with us because of the weak regulatory enforcement of the National Policy on Education as well as the lack of sensitization on the Negative impact of the practice on the child and the society. It is in the light of the foregoing that I urge Quality Assurance Agencies and practitioners to be up and doing in tackling this menace.”
In his presentation, Senior Education Specialist, World Bank, Prof. Olatunde Adekola, raised alarm over the psychological effect of hurried child syndrome, stating that its effects are enormous and can ruin a child’s chances of living a normal life. He call on parents to have a rethink in hurrying and forcing their children on becoming adults when they are not suppose to be.
He further advised that children should not rushed to go through education process when they are ripe.