The long school holidays are here and will stretch until the start of the new academic year in early February 2026. This break will keep millions of students away from structured learning for more than two months.
First to break were the Primary Seven leavers, who completed their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) on Tuesday.
Next will be their Senior Four counterparts who end their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams today. The Senior Six students start their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams on November 10 and break off on December 5.
A total of 1,416,307 candidates were registered for the 2025 PLE, UCE, and UACE . These leavers will be joined by millions of more students moving up from Senior One, Two, Three and Five.
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While holidays offer a well-deserved break, the long stretch can expose the learners to negative influences, risky behaviour, and loss of academic focus, unless we keep them safe, productive, and mentally balanced.
Educationists and parenting experts warn that how this window is managed can either strengthen or derail a child’s growth, progress, and future.
Mr Fagil Mandy, an educationist, advises parents to take charge of their children’s schedules instead of leaving them to drift through the holiday without guidance. He says parents should deliberately plan how their children spend each day, balancing rest, learning, and responsibility.
‘Parents should have a clear programme of what they are doing and what the children have to do. Many of our children, especially those from boarding schools, lack basic knowledge of managing a home. This holiday should be used to teach them house chores such as cooking, cleaning, and home management,’ he says.
Mr Mandy adds that holidays provide a unique opportunity for experiential learning, encouraging parents to expose children to life outside school. ‘Children need to be well versed with key places in the country beyond Kampala. Many reach university without knowing their surroundings. They should visit relatives to understand their full family tree and develop a sense of belonging,’ he counsels.
Beyond home and travel experiences, Mr Mandy stresses the importance of vocational and hands-on skills that nurture creativity and independence. Mr Mandy says: ‘In this era of artificial intelligence, we need skills that technology cannot replace. Vocational skills such as carpentry, tailoring, crafts or cookery are essential. It’s even more beneficial to take your children to your workplace so they understand how money is made and appreciate the value of work.’
He adds, ‘Children should be encouraged to read widely so they can broaden their perspective and integrity. Parents, too, should dedicate deliberate time to guide and mentor them during this long break and teach them every skill and be organised into production.’
Mr Mandy says these experiences also help children understand consequences and develop independence. The Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) Secretary General, Mr Filbert Baguma, emphasises the importance of exposure to real-world problem-solving during the holiday.
‘Parents can turn the holiday into a practical learning experience by involving children in decision-making and problem-solving tasks. For example, budgeting for household expenses, planning a small garden project, or organising community initiatives teaches responsibility and critical thinking,’ he says.
Mapping chores, life skills
Indeed, some parents say they are already preparing structured plans for their children during the holiday. Ms Grace Nyakato, whose daughter has just sat for PLE this week, says she has mapped out a balance of chores, and skill-building for her.
‘We will first let our daughter rest for a week to recover from the exam fatigue. After that, she will help with cooking and gardening and we will also spend weekends visiting relatives who live upcountry,’ Ms Nyakato says.
Similarly, Mr Joseph Lutaaya, father of a UCE candidate, says he plans to guide his son explore vocational skills.
‘My son loves engineering, so I have arranged for him to attend a short-term mechanic course in a nearby garage and we will also schedule reading hours every day, and monitor his social media use to ensure he stays focused,’ Mr Lutaaya explains.
Mr Dickson Tumuramye, a parenting coach, says one of the biggest mistakes parents make after exams is rushing their children into new activities without giving them adequate time to rest. He says after months of academic pressure, students need space to unwind and regain emotional balance.
Social, peer pressures
Mr Tumuramye also warns that this year’s long holiday coincides with a heated political season, which calls for greater parental vigilance over children’s social activities.
‘Parents should monitor their children’s smart phone use because some are already organising unsupervised parties, which in the past have led to tragic incidents such as drowning during reckless swimming outings. Others may get drawn into political camps, which is not appropriate for their age and can easily expose them to manipulation,’ he warns.
Mr Tumuramye recommends that parents pay attention to their children’s interests and help them develop practical skills around them.
‘Once you identify what your child enjoys, support them to develop a skill around it whether it’s art, baking, music, or computing and this not only keeps them engaged but also boosts their confidence and sense of purpose,’ he explains.
He also highlights the importance of being alert to behavioural changes during the holiday, which could indicate stress, peer pressure, or drug influence.
‘When a child starts showing abnormal sleeping habits, a sudden loss or increase in appetite, or becomes too isolated or overly outgoing, it could be a red flag where parents should intervene early before the situation escalates,’ he explains.
Experts agree that keeping children engaged during the holiday is not about burdening them with work but guiding them towards growth and responsibility.
Correspondingly, child rights advocates maintain that the safety of children who may be left unsupervised during the long holiday come with an increase in cases of child abuse, teenage pregnancies, drug use, and child labour, especially in urban settlements and rural trading centres where parents spend long hours at work.
‘Long holidays without supervision can expose children to exploitation and guardians ought to know where their children are, who they are spending time with, and what they are doing. In the previous long breaks, child protection agencies have recorded spikes in incidents of sexual exploitation, particularly among adolescents who engage in unsupervised social gatherings or online interactions,’ warns Mr Damon Wamara, the executive director of Uganda Child Rights NGO Network.
Mr Wamara urges community leaders, religious institutions, and schools to take an active role in organising safe, structured activities that keep young people engaged and connected to positive role models.
‘Holiday camps, sports tournaments, church programmes, and community service projects give children a sense of purpose and belonging and create safe spaces where children can learn, interact, and express themselves without exposure to harm,’ he recommends.
Experts say when parents strike a balance between rest, skill development, supervision, and structured activities, children are more likely to return to school energised, focused, and ready for the new academic year.