I have a question for you here.  The question is: Was the secondary you attended responsible for your success at your  WAEC  final examination?  Think about the answer as I continue with the topic.

Most Nigerian adults, especially those from 40-years-old and above, attended public primary and secondary schools.
It is funny to see and hear some of those Nigerians speak evil of the same schools that they passed through to become what they are today. In short, they no longer see anything good in those public schools.

The reason they usually give for their criticism of public schools is that that public schools are no longer what they used to be. And that teachers in those schools no longer take their jobs of teaching their pupils seriously.

Of a truth, some of the public schools in Nigeria are a mere shadow of their old self. Most of their buildings are dilapidated, with few or no chairs and desks in their classrooms. Their teachers have become more of business people than teachers.

Some money-miss-road among those critics of public schools are often heard saying: “It is an insult for my children to attend public schools.”  Funny enough, most of them have never deemed it necessary to give back to those schools that groomed them, with a view to saving them from total collapse.

I want to use this opportunity to thank the governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, who is very much aware of the plight of government schools in Delta State and who has started doing something about them.
This include building and renovation of classrooms of public schools in the state, training and re-training of public-school teachers, paying the salary of government workers, including teachers as at when due.

That said, it is time for you to answer my question: Was the secondary school you attended responsible for your success at your final year examination?

This question is for people who are already out of high school. If you’re still in the high school, wait until you’re out of school before giving me your answer.

I am going to give you my own answer here. But before then, let me share, with you, a story that would help me answer my question properly.

While waiting to read your answer to my question, permit me to share, with you, my own answer to the question.
The name of the public secondary school I attended was Okpalani Secondary/Commercial School, located at Okpanam, a near-by town to Asaaba, the capital of Delta State in Nigeria. It was barely 10-years-old when I was admitted there in September 1977.

The name of the principal of the school at that time was Mr. Isichei.  I have forgotten his first name as it was a long time ago. Mr. Isichei, now late, was a native of Obior, a beautiful peaceful town in the Anioma area of Delta State.
After Mr. Isichei came Mr. A.N. Odiwanor. Mr. Odiwanor, also late, was a native of Ogwashi-Uku, the capital of Aniocha South Local Government Council headquarters, also in Delta State. He was a very strict disciplinarian that I would never forget in a hurry.

Because of the young age of my school at that time, it could not afford great teachers like the ones who taught at St. Patrick’s College, Asaba, Edo College, Benin-City, Kings and Queens College, Lagos.

Most of the teachers in my school, at that time, were either school leavers, who passed out from my school or university graduates, who were there for their one-year National Youth Corp Service. Only very few of them were qualified full-time teachers. There were times in the school when we didn’t have teachers on some subjects for a whole term or more.

Before I joined the school, I had already made up my mind to become an accountant. So, when the problem of lack of teachers hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks, I started asking myself some prying questions.

Among such questions were: “Now that we do not have enough teachers, would it be possible for me to realize my ambition of becoming an accountant?’ and “Can I study on my own to be able to pass my West African School Certificate and General Certificate of Education examinations?”

  …to be continued here on this blog on Wednesday, May 1, 2019