The excitement, worries and fears of joining boarding school

In January, as schools across the country reopened after the end-of-year holiday season, a wave of excitement swept through the hearts of students embarking on a new educational journey.

For some, this marked the transition to boarding school, which is a requirement of many schools to allow students to prepare for national exams later in the year.

To capture the sentiments of students venturing into this new chapter, Smart World spoke to several pupils, who revealed mixed emotions surrounding the boarding school experience.

Alvin Mkisi, a 12-year-old Standard Seven student at Kilimani Primary School in Dar es Salaam, shares that he felt both excited and nervous on January 7, when his parents took him to boarding school.

Previously a day scholar at the school, Alvin says he was not sure what to expect.

“I did not know how it felt to sleep and wake up on the school premises. It was my first time to stay away from home and from my parents. I had only been used to seeing my parents travel and come back.”

Alvin says that the fact that he would be going to the same school where he was a day student made things a bit easier for him. At least he was not going to a new school to start all over again.

Although he occasionally misses home and his parents, Alvin says he is grateful to be in boarding school because he has learnt to be independent and to keep his things in order.

“I thank my parents for enrolling me in boarding. I have learnt to be independent and responsible, and I now have enough time to study and play with my friends,” he says.

For 12-year-old Neema Teri of Kibangu English Medium School, the journey to boarding school commenced in 2021, when she was just nine years old and in Standard Four.

Initially fraught with tears and homesickness, Neema gradually acclimated to her new environment, finding solace in academic achievement and the camaraderie of fellow schoolmates.

“Now, I am in Standard Seven, and I no longer fear being in boarding school, thanks to my parents’ constant encouragement. They always assured me that everything would be ok,” she shares.

Similarly, Juniour Joram, aged 13, harboured apprehensions about potential bullying upon his entry into boarding school in January this year.

His fears were reduced by the supportive school community, where he found companionship and security amidst occasional pangs of homesickness.

“Before coming to boarding school, some of my friends used to tell me that there were bullies in the dormitories, but I have experienced nothing of the sort so far,” shares Juniour.

He says it is only that he sometimes misses home food. Juniours says that he can’t wait for the next visiting day to eat chips and drink homemade juice.

Subira Mushi, a parent whose 11-year-old son became a boarder this year, says her biggest fear is whether her son will cope with the new life.

She prays and hopes everything will be alright since her child just shifted from being a day scholar to a boarder at the same school.

Her biggest worry is that her son might find boarding life hard because he has always been under her supervision.

“My son has some eating issues. He hates eating the same food more than once a week. For instance, when I cook fish for lunch and dinner, he will only have it for lunch and not more than that. I am scared he’s going to lose weight,” says Subira.

Joel, another parent whose son became a boarder this year, says he is glad because he will learn to be independent and concentrate more on his studies.

Joel’s child is the only son in his family, where his two elder sisters and mother treat him like a baby. The boy therefore does not involve himself in any housework and tends to wake up late, especially on weekends. He is also used to being helped with every task, including homework.

“I’m sure he’s going to have a hard time at school given his background. He might have trouble with the patron and fellow students if he does not make an effort to change,” shares Joel.

Dora Mwakyelu, whose 12-year-old daughter recently joined boarding school at Kibangu English Medium School, is worried about her daughter’s inability to manage herself, especially when it comes to preparing for school.

“She’s usually stubborn, especially when she is told or asked to do something. When I wake her up in the morning, she takes a long time to get out of bed and sometimes begs me to give her a few more minutes to sleep, claiming to be tired.”

The fact that her daughter has never been away from home for even a week is another thing that Dora is worried about.

“I am worried she might be feeling lonely, depressed, and neglected. She might even adopt bad behaviour as a coping mechanism,” she explains.

Sometimes Dora wishes she could take her daughter out of boarding school, but since she is in Standard Seven and has to prepare for national exams, she has no choice but to let her stay.

She frequently calls the school matron to find out how her daughter is doing and sometimes speaks to her just to ensure she’s fine.

Kilimani Primary School deputy head teacher Neema Charles says parents should not hesitate to take their children to boarding school because her school, for example, has created a conducive environment similar to home.

She says the school has installed CCTV cameras in the dormitories for security purposes.

“We also conduct seminars for students to give them the ABCs of life and tell them the dos and don’ts while in the dormitories. We encourage parents to let children stay in boarding school so they can learn to be independent,” she says.

Ms Charles explains that students learn a lot in boarding school, including washing their clothes and doing other related stuff.

Many schools have set aside special days for parents and relatives to visit and spend time with their children.

Ms Charles says boarders stand a better chance to perform well in their studies and emphasises that boarding school is not a place for students to learn or adopt bad behaviour, as many people think.

She says the schools’ responsibility is to ensure the children are in good hands while on the school premises.

At her school, Ms Charles says they discourage parents from frequently making phone calls to speak to their children because it sticks in the child's mind that their parents would be calling anytime.

“We treat students equally and discourage unnecessary phone calls from parents. We mainly allow students to call their parents if they have run out of supplies like soap or books, and we might call if the child is sick,” she notes.

Being in boarding school gives students a sense of independence, freedom, and the opportunity to explore new things without parental supervision.

Students may, on the other hand, feel a deep longing for their parents' presence or even guilt for leaving them behind.

Psychologist Saldini Kimangale highlights the importance of informed decision-making when considering boarding school enrollment.

While boarding schools offer opportunities for personal growth and independence, the psychologist says that parents must prioritise their children's emotional well-being and developmental needs.