School should be a place where children go to learn, develop good character and prepare themselves for the future. But what happens before classes begin and after school activities end also matters.
This is why parents and guardians should not fold their arms and assume that once their wards have been dropped off at school, their responsibility is over.
Raising a responsible child requires continuous guidance, communication and appropriate monitoring. Parents need to teach their wards that certain habits may appear harmless today but could gradually affect their academic performance, character, relationships and future.
One of such habits is unnecessary loitering around the school.
Parents should discourage their wards from hanging around the school premises without a legitimate reason, particularly before classes begin or after the day's activities have ended.
A child who remains around school unnecessarily may become exposed to distractions, unhealthy peer influence or situations that could negatively affect their behaviour.
Sometimes, it starts innocently.
A student may decide to wait around to chat with friends after school. Another may spend extra time with a particular group simply because they enjoy their company. Before long, what was supposed to be a few minutes can become a regular habit.
This is where parents need to pay attention.
Peer influence can have a strong effect on children, especially when there is little supervision. A child may begin copying the language, dressing, attitude or behaviour of friends without fully understanding the consequences.
Parents should therefore explain to their wards why they need to go directly to their classrooms or approved school activities and leave the school premises once the day's activities are over, unless there is a genuine reason to remain.
The goal is not to frighten children or treat every friend as a bad influence. Children need friends and healthy social relationships. The issue is knowing where they are, who they are with, what they are doing and why they are still there.
Parents should also avoid making assumptions.
Not every student who remains around school after classes is doing something wrong. Some children may have legitimate reasons to stay. They may be involved in sports, clubs, rehearsals, extra lessons, school programmes or other approved activities.
Some may also be waiting for a parent, guardian or transportation.
In such situations, remaining within the school environment may be perfectly appropriate.
The important thing is that parents should know about the arrangement.
If a child is expected to stay behind for an activity, parents should know what the activity is, who is supervising it and when the child is expected to return home.
Where possible, parents should maintain communication with the school so that there is no confusion about the child's movement.
A security-conscious parent does not simply put a ward on a motorcycle, drive them to school or arrange transportation and consider the job finished.
Parenting goes beyond transportation.
Parents need to ask questions, listen to their children and understand their daily routines.
Simple questions such as “What time did you leave school today?”, “What did you do after classes?”, “Who were you with?” and “Did you have any school activity today?” can help parents understand what is happening in their children's lives.
These questions should not feel like an interrogation.
When communication is open and respectful, children are more likely to provide honest answers and tell their parents when something unusual happens.
Schools also have an important role to play.
School management should establish clear rules concerning arrival times, dismissal, extracurricular activities and students who need to remain on the premises after normal school hours.
Teachers and school authorities should also know which students are expected to remain behind and ensure that appropriate supervision is provided.
Parents and schools must work together because the safety of a child cannot be achieved by one side alone.
When parents know their children's routines and schools have proper systems for monitoring students, there is less room for unnecessary movement and potentially risky situations.
Parents should also teach their wards that leaving school immediately after their legitimate activities does not mean they are being deprived of fun.
There is a time for learning, a time for approved extracurricular activities, a time for friendship and a time to go home.
Discipline involves understanding when and where each activity is appropriate.
The school environment should not become a meeting point for unnecessary gatherings after classes. Children should not develop the habit of staying behind simply because their friends are staying behind.
Every child should learn to make responsible decisions even when their friends are doing something different.
Parents and guardians therefore have a responsibility to guide their wards, monitor their movements appropriately and create an environment where children can openly explain what they do during and after school hours.
A few minutes of meaningful conversation with a child today could prevent a serious problem tomorrow.
Let us teach our wards to respect school rules, avoid unnecessary loitering and understand that going home after school is also part of being responsible.
“Ensuring that our wards do not unnecessarily hang around the school is one of the responsibilities of parents and guardians.”
Just be good. Reflect. Stay alert.
Author
Moruf Yusuf (Ojogbon)
ANIPR, MISN, FCAI, FIIM, MSPSP
📧 Email: maarufism@gmail.com | thesecuremind2026@gmail.com
📞 Phone: +2348035479930 | +2348028286064
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Wednesday, 9th September, 2026
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