After a long break, schools in Nigeria are reopening. Many schools have carried out upgrades—fresh coats of paint, renovated classrooms, or new facilities. While these improvements are welcome, parents must not forget one important question: How do we keep our children’s health intact as they go back to school?
Below are key things parents should watch out for:
1. Fresh Paint And Renovations: Watch Air Quality
Some schools repaint walls or fix infrastructure during holidays.
Fresh paint, adhesives, and building materials can release strong smells and chemicals (called VOCs—Volatile Organic Compounds) that may irritate children’s lungs.
Read more about this in School Resumption: Tips For Your Child’s Health
👉 What parents can do:
Ask your child’s school if classrooms were painted and whether they are ventilated properly after painting.
Encourage children to drink lots of water and report dizziness, headaches, or difficulty breathing.
For children with asthma or allergies, monitor them closely in the first weeks of resumption.
2. Classroom Hygiene And Cleanliness
A clean school environment helps reduce common infections like cough, catarrh, and stomach bugs.
After long breaks, dust, mold, or pests may have built up in classrooms.
👉 What parents can do:
Remind children to wash their hands regularly, especially before meals.
Provide hand sanitisers or wipes in their school bags.
Ensure your child’s immunisations and deworming schedules are up-to-date.
3. Nutrition And Immunity Boosting
Healthy eating is key to a strong immune system, especially as children mingle again with friends after the holiday.
Some may return with flu and transmit it as they have contacts.
👉 What parents can do:
Pack balanced lunch boxes—fruits, vegetables, protein, and water instead of sugary snacks and sodas.
Serve breakfast daily. A well-fed child learns better and fights infections more easily.
Add immune-boosting foods like citrus, leafy greens, beans, and fish to their meals at home.
4. Stress And Mental Health
Returning to school after a break can feel overwhelming. Some children may face anxiety, especially if they are moving into a new class or school.
👉 What parents can do:
Talk to your children about how they feel about school.
Re-establish bedtime routines to ensure enough rest.
Avoid overloading them with after-school lessons immediately. Give them time to adjust.
5. Safety And Personal Hygiene Habits
Most importantly, beyond what schools provide, children must learn to protect themselves daily.
👉 What parents can do:
Teach children not to share personal items like water bottles, combs, or face towels.
Provide personal water bottles to avoid dependence on public taps.
Reinforce basic habits like covering the mouth when coughing and proper use of toilets.
Final Word For Parents As Schools Resume
To ensure Children’s health as they go back to school, parents must remember that schools may look shiny and fresh after upgrades, but health and safety go deeper than paint and polish.
Parents have a role to play in making sure children stay strong, safe, and ready to learn.
Healthy children learn better. By paying attention to environment, nutrition, hygiene, and mental well-being, you are setting your child up for success this school term.