If I were to address the trendy video of the teacher forcing a 3-year-old child to write numbers from 1 to 60, I’d approach it from a different perspective. First, we need to ask an important question: What is a 3-year-old child doing with the task of writing numbers up to 60? At that age, children are still developing fine motor skills and should not be expected to handle such advanced tasks. Is it realistic to expect a 3-year-old to write such numbers fluently, especially within the first week of school resumption?

This incident raises a broader issue: the immense pressure placed on both children and teachers in the name of education. Could it be that the teacher was under pressure from school management to meet unrealistic academic targets? Or perhaps the parents of the child have also contributed by setting high expectations, demanding accelerated progress for their child. We need to consider the system as a whole.

The first week of resumption should focus on helping children settle into the school environment, not subjecting them to excessive academic demands. It’s worth noting that in many other countries, education for children at this age emphasizes play-based learning, exploration, and creativity rather than rigid academic drills. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, the pressure to perform often leads to practices that are neither beneficial nor developmentally appropriate.

That being said, this is not to condone the teacher's actions. Forcing a child to the point of tears, and possibly humiliation, is never acceptable. However, this incident should prompt a deeper reflection on our education system and how much we are prioritizing achievement over the well-being of both children and teachers. It's time to rethink our approach to early childhood education and focus on creating a system that supports holistic development rather than unrealistic performance metrics.