The holiday season has officially ended, and parents across the country have been hitting the road since the start of the week to drop off their children at school.

As the 2024 academic year commences for schools nationwide, little boys and girls are eager to start their first day of preprimary education.

Although the first day of school can easily evoke fear and tears in both parents and learners alike, there were mostly happy faces in many schools in Erongo Region.

While those returning to school were met with familiar faces, it was a new adventure for those starting their school journey.

Excitement, anxiety, and joy abounded for both parents and pupils.

Some pupils clung to their parents at Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, weeping softly as they approached the school gates.

One usually expects anxious smiles from learners who step into high school for the first time and smiles and tears alike from parents who have to let go of their children as they start a new chapter in life.