The seventh month of the year to me is a remarkable one. Though characterized with heavy down pour, could weather and several sicknesses like cold and catarrh, malaria and the rest of them. It is still one of the best months to witness especially in the academic field. As this month approaches, both teachers and students are kept on their toes especially those in the nursery and primary schools. The big question is what really keeps them on their toes? It is nothing but the numerous academic and social activities that must come before the long vacation. This vacation which happens to be the longest of the three school vacations in Nigeria is that which every student and teacher long for because it will afford them a long rest from school works.
And so determined to overcome the stress of (closure, both students and teachers work very hard to see to a successful end of the academic year. Yes! July marks the end of the academic calendar just as September as a month marks the beginning of the academic calendar. The beginning of a new academic year usually ushers students into new levels or classes. The wise ones do not joke with this almighty term. So they work absolutely hard so that they can move into a new class while the unserious ones will cry in regret at the end, for work not done and opportunities missed.
The teachers are not left out of these stressful moments since they are faced with the task of working and producing both the third term results and the cumulative for the whole session. The cumulative is the total result of the three terms of the academic year. They are also expected to work out the cumulative result and the average for each
student. This in itself is not a tea party. It is not only tedious but strenuous and breath-taking. So while the students a reading hard to pass their exams, teachers warm up to produce the school results. These are some of the reasons that make me adore people in this profession. The act of molding lives is indeed an enormous one. It is enormous in the sense that it is like creating lives. I see teachers as co-creators of lives. Kudos to teachers and Bravo to dear students of our country Nigeria most especially those in Imo.
Top on the list on the activities to mark the end of the school calendar is the graduation ceremonies. At this period teachers combine the school hours to teach students several activities which will be presented on the day of graduation. Such extracurricular activities include calisthenics, dance, choral performances, cultural dances, debates; quiz competitions to mention but a few. Children are grouped according to what they are able to do. It is usually a great joy watching these children exhibit their various talents. Yes! Watching the great dancers among them still gives me hope that the entertainment industry will thrive long after we must have gone. Indeed watching these children perform tells me how talented Nigerian children can be. The inner beauty which their talents portray makes me believe that the best is yet to be seen. I always looked forward to the graduation ceremony of the school which my children attend because each time I have attended had been characterized by great memories which will not be forgotten in a hurry.
Among the activities of the day is the Honour Roll and to me this is the best. As I watched these outstanding kids receive their
Honour Awards, I feel great because good things are good. In the Honour list are the best in neatness, the best in punctuality, the best in Academics, the best behaved student etc. I love all the best’s but I have passion for the best behaved and the best in Academics. Imagine the combination of best behaved and the best in Academic. To me that is the perfect child.
For a child to receive awards as “Best behaved and Best in Academics” means that such a child is an outstanding and a gifted person. These two qualities are what every parent yearns for in a child. At such moments, I have envied those with such excellent qualities. I envy them and their parents. As a human being, I can encourage such a child with the best of my ability. Looking at a child who was awarded the best behaved what that means is that the child is an all rounder. It also means that such a child does not joke with his school works. He pays attention in the class, does his home work, respects his seniors and his teachers, does not indulge in evil practices like lying, stealing fighting, truancy etc. it is actually these numerous qualities that make the next award of “the Best in Academic” a possibility when a child behaves well or works hard, surely he excels in all things. Kudos to children of great virtues. Indeed such children deserve to be greatly rewarded through giving them the due honour more especially when the world is characterized with children, who are full of mischievous tendencies. Even at such tender ages, some children are busy doing the bids of their master-the devil. That accounts for why a child in the primary school gets involved in cultism.
At that tender age, some of them have become instruments of destruction and chaos. Some have inflicted great and untold pains in the hearts of their parents. Little wonder the Bible calls them “children of vipers” children of the end time” etc.
On this particular day in my children’s school. I too was made proud by the baby of my house in the person of Amarachi Chelsea Nwulu. Usually, she features in one or two awards. This time, around, when the Honour Roll was called her name was mentioned in the list of Best in Academics and particularly the Best in Neatness. Watching her clutching her Honour certificate, I was proud that I gave birth to her. I made bold to introduce her to people around me as my daughter. Which parent will not identify with a child that brings honour and glory to the family? The best in Academic Award is not for everybody. It is only for those who had 90% average or more and my intelligent, pretty and lively Amarachi made the list. As I looked at her, I saw radiance, royalty, and beauty, as people around admired the great virtue she had exhibited. From the numerous congratulations she received, I came to the conclusion that “success indeed has many friends”.
As I held the Honour Award Certificate in my hands, my thought started wondering as to what and what could bring honour to an individual. Is it beauty, wealth, size, height or origin? Those virtues can, but the most important of all is hard work, good behavior, humility, carriage and wisdom. When you have these qualities you are sure to stand in the place of Honour any time any day.
It is a well known fact that success does not come by chance. It comes through hard-work but unfortunately the present day society strongly believe that they can hit the limelight through short cuts. That is why our youths engage in yahoo business where they defraud others through the internet. In actual fact such money has never lasted. Others engage in kidnapping, ritual killings etc just to make quick money. In those days those who want quick money on graduation from secondary school get into learning one trade or the other and the diligents have always make it to the top. But today, instead of learning a trade or better still going to school, the impatient young person drops out of school engages in armed robbery, kidnapping etc. who told you that success can be found in evil?
Did Amarachi and other pupils whose names appeared in the Honour Roll list work hard to earn these honours? The answer is yes! because the Amarachi I know can never go to bed any day without completing her home work. She wakes up to ensure that we take her to school early. That to me is a great sense of commitment. God will always reward a committed soul.
Do you want your child’s name to appear in the Honour list next Academic year? It begins now. Now that the children are on holidays, you must make sure that they are not far from your care. Ensure that they study hard. This is the period to study those hard areas of their school work. Inculcate the reading habit in your child. Give him proper training of good behavior. Train your ch\\6 the way he should grow and when he is of age, he will not depart from it. See your child in the Honour list next July.
God’s Grace.
