The School Life I prefer by @ukpono

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_{Published on 24 August 2022}

Hello, friends!
Let's go down memory lane. Almost everyone here passed through the four walls of a school. Some have obtained a bachelor's degree already and are either moving further to acquire a second degree or are done with both. These periods held memories — the good, the bad and the eventful. I have my story to tell as well and will satisfy your curiosity with this post. Read on to find out more.

In Nigeria, an average child spends six to nine years acquiring basic primary education. Once the child receives their first school leaving certificate, [s]he can then be enrolled in Junior secondary school 1 (JSS 1). They get to spend approximately six years in high school. In the final year, students register for two external examinations — WASSCE and NECO. On completion, those who can afford a tertiary education apply to any school of their choice where they will be required to spend 4-7 years or more if they are “fortunate” enough to live in a time when incessant strike actions are compulsory courses every student in a public university should take.

Students with an O'level result that has at least 5 credits in selected subjects related to their preferred course of study are most likely to gain admission if they attained their preferred institution's aggregate score in the Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

And this is the pattern my life followed.

My High School and College Life

In my time, parents had to provide their wards with educational materials like school uniforms, exercise books, desks, cutlasses and hoes. The school fees for those attending government secondary schools were paid by the then Godswill Akpabio's administration who continued the Free and Compulsory Education program Governor Attah had established. For six years, I spent my school days bustling between the farm and the overcrowded classrooms which had a large class size of not less than 100 students.

Other times when the classes were not congested, we had to sit on the floor or pair with our friends to receive lessons from the teacher. This usually happened when some good-hearted fellow decides to relieve us of the stress of stuffing lockers into the small structure we called a class. The few good desks left are oftentimes transported to one of the 42+ classrooms in the school compound, a bush or probably made to vanish into thin air.

Most of my high school days had almost the same routine. In the morning you had to race from the gate to avoid a whipping from the Man O'war who will still beat you anyway for not committing an offence. Once you get to the devotion ground, you will be panting like a goat that just broke out of its pen. If you were in my shoes, then you will remember the Lord's faithfulness which had narrowly saved you from the penalty of kneeling on the rough sand or wet grass for 30 minutes — that was the punishment for getting to school after devotion had commenced. With this joy, you will join the chapel prefect to sing “Great is thy faithfulness, oh Lord, my father” with a shrilling voice, something similar to mine.

My friends and I were fond of making a lot of noise on the line or mimicking the Principal's gestures and instructions. Maybe not my friends, because the words I can remember now is my bestie saying, “Ukpono, stop this.” or “Ukpono, pay attention” and in worst cases, “Steady, that teacher is looking at you”. This is followed by a pinch that will make me yelp.

When I completed my sixth academic year in 2017, I picked up a JAMB form the next year. That same year, I gained admission to study English at the University of Uyo. The university came with its excitement and challenges too.

Here at the university, the experience is almost similar. The government pays our tuition fees while we make other payments like development levy, facility management, ICT project, database charge, finance charge, utility/services, library, Medical/student's health insurance scheme and examination. Students attend lectures in ill-equipped lecture halls that have no other ventilator other than a stationary fan just above the lecturer's head. There are no Men O'War to punish students for their lateness but rather lecturers instruct you to remain outside once the step a foot into the class.

What Do I Like and Hate About Each Life?

My Likes
Acquisition of knowledge
Philomaths appreciate every opportunity they get to learn. Both secondary school and university broadened my horizon and ability to interact intelligently with others.

Friends
Humans are social beings. My friends at school have impacted my life positively in a lot of ways.

Growth
No one likes to remain at once spot forever. I think this best explains it.

Dislikes

Bullies
Bullying was something I had to deal with in junior high. Senior students were in the habit of maltreating “JJCs”.

Dealing with Infantile Behaviours
As a class prefect, there were various times I try to keep myself calm after discovering that the “big girls” whose names were on the rooster had not swept the class and no big boy will do that instead since “sweeping was not a boy's business”. Their duty was to loiter the ground. I had to sweep the sandy ground all by myself or risk being punished alongside my strong-headed followers.

The Impact these Stages of Life Has Had on me

• Helped me build my leadership skills
• Could develop my social skills

Which of these lives do I prefer and why?

Sincerely, the university has shaped my life and my perspective of life has undergone a paradigm shift. Even though the unconducive environment used for learning still reminds me of high school, I will be forever grateful for the exposure and the ability to grow.

Thank you @goodybest for organizing this contest.

About Me | 10% payout to @campusconnectng| 🇳🇬