As soon as the last day of school is done, cooks are not required at the school premises. They will still get paid their salaries during the long holiday period, but some benefits such as accommodation (most of them usually stay at the school premises) must also vacate. Food is no longer available free of cost.
Therefore cooks face some financial challenges during the months of December and January, until the new school term begins early February.
This is why most of them return to their villages, to work in the farms. These are usually small plots of land within their family properties, and are enough to support the families with the local crops, typically yams and beans.
