My parents did their best to take us to a Private school while we were so young. My two younger siblings and I went to a Primary Private School where we completed all Primary levels until things changed for us. They could not afford the payment, so, they took us to a Public School. I attended two different public schools. The first one was a junior school called "Ogba Junior Grammar School", while the second one was a Senior School named "Agidingbi Senior Grammar School". Those who live in Lagos would be familiar with the particular school, located in Agidingbi along Lateef Jakande Street, Ikeja.
As of then, Agidingbi was one of the best schools recognised by the Governor of Lagos state, Gov. RAJI FASHOLA. I am talking about the year 2007-2010. The evidence was the number of students that were in school then. I was in commercial class and we were over 50 students in class C. The classes were lettered A-F i.e. Ss 1a-1f, Ss 2a-2f etc. The school was founded on the 4th of September, 1980 and its mission is to impart addictive value to academic, moral and social values to children who choose to learn in the school. This mission was actualized during my set and previous ones, perhaps up to date, except for the fact that we now have new generations that have decided to turn bad eggs. Schools today aren't compared to the ones we experienced in the past.
During my stay in that school, it was a lot of fun with the students and some teachers who decided to play nice with us without being harsh like others. Don't worry, I will share one of my experiences with one of the strict and harsh teachers and how I escaped, all thanks to my short stature. Lol
One of the benefits I enjoyed in the school was the free textbooks we were given by the government to aid our learning. We never paid any dime for school fees except when we were told to contribute money to make a project or buy cutlasses to cut the weeds at the back of our classrooms. The latecomers did most of the grass cutting and weeding which was their punishment. We had wonderful and friendly teachers who taught us in the best way and made us understand.
Once in every term, there would be some people who would come to lecture us on topics like sex education, health, cleanliness etc. It was in my SS 1 class I got a free sanitary pad. I have never gotten one as I was always used to tissue paper and clothes most times. Ever since then, and how we were told how safer it is to use pads instead of clothes and tissue, I started saving part of my food money to get it every month as I was always shy to ask my parents for money, knowing how they were trying for us.
We had friendly and welcoming food and snack sellers where we got free food most times when they call us to help them sell and sit with them. This always happened during the break period as my friends and I would rush off to their spot, helped to wash plates, sell for other students and played with their kids. When break time is over and the bell is rung, we would be given biscuits, sweets or any other item they wished to give us.
One of my experiences with a strict teacher.
His name was called "Mr Lion" because of how strict and fierce he was. He never smiled but would frown on his face. Going around whenever he has no subject to teach for that day, and would try to see if there was any student serving punishment as he would volunteer himself to the teacher in charge to flog such a student. He knew how to flog as he would order the student to lie on a big desk, tightening his trouser or her skirt which would reveal the buttocks and gives strokes of cane. When you are beaten by Mr Lion, you will not come to school for a week as you would be nursing the wound. Parents do not bother coming to complain because it is what they wanted for their children. If they could not discipline them at home, school is the next place for such a student.
We had a subject, Financial Accounting on this day when, Mr Alfred, the teacher asked a question and no one could answer it. He got angry and sent everyone out of the class while we knelt down in the hot sun. We pleaded but he didn't listen to us. Then, we saw a man walking towards our class, holding several canes in his hands. We knew it was Mr Lion and all students started shouting and screaming because no one was going to change the fact that he was going to volunteer himself to beat the hell out of us. He was given permission to beat us.
Luckily for me and being the shortest girl in class, I was kneeling down beside a corner where it led to the grasses at the back of the class. As he was carried away beating others, I silently and slowly crawled towards the location and stood there with no one seeing me. After beating everyone and both teachers had left the class, I robbed some saliva on my eyes to pretend I was beaten too. Immediately I entered the classroom, holding my buttocks in pretence and crying, my close friend who was also of short stature, but not as I am, his name is Qudus caught me as he knew I wasn't beaten. We both laughed at it.
I guess in every public school, there is always that one teacher that stands out in being stricter than others. I enjoyed the fun of all the extracurricular activities that were held every week and the inter-house sports activity held at the end of the third term, my fixed house colour was Blue. This activities helped shaped many of us and it was what made the school stood out too. My Dad became a permanent musician who always come to play for all events in the school and other well-known public schools in Lagos state.
As of then, what I needed for the school to change was to minimise the use of canes on students. Yes, we understood it was the best way to discipline us then, but it was too much on students. Punishments were served rigorously which should be of minimal length. Also, coercing students to get textbooks shouldn't be encouraged. Many of us were punished as we couldn't get textbooks and this was because the government stopped giving us free textbooks. It wasn't our fault and all fingers they say, aren't equal. Many times, we were instructed not to borrow any textbooks from others until we get ours. It affected our grades then, but in one way, we tried our best.
Such a thing shouldn't be done. No student should be coerced to get something when realising the kind of home they were from. Students should be taught not to look down on their classmates because they couldn't afford what they had.
Another thing to change is the use of abusive words on students by the teachers. For God's sake, why would a teacher insult any student? They are role models who should lead by example and not becoming a bad leader to them.
That is all I can share about the school I attended.
Thanks for your time on my blog.
