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Every morning has been a period of critical thinking for me. This holiday I engaged more in deep thinking. Recently, I felt sad at the rate at which parents couldn't meet up with their duties anymore. It is pathetic to see that the government we choose to protect the poor have forgotten the reason why they were elected.
Hmmm! I could remember when I resumed work in my community school the population of the school was over 3500 students, when this new administration started with their policies the population has drastically reduced to about 2432 students, I kept wondering what it will be like by the time we resume.
Last session, one of my best and active student had to dropout not because they couldn't pay school fees, they don't even pay school fees being a public school but because the parents couldn't afford transport and feeding fees. Mary Ogunyemi came from a family of ten including father and mother. Her mother was a trader while her father works in a factory.
When this whole issue started I was buying her food anytime she got to school because I noticed she was no longer concentrating in class due to hunger and she was always visiting the school clinic. After the first term I couldn't meet up with everyday feeding because I too was affected by the increase in prices of goods and for a while I didn't see her in school, then, I reached out to her parents and her mom told me they had enrolled her in an hairstylist training shop close to their house and the woman was willing to adopt her and cater for her. I couldn't hold back my tears as I shared with some of my colleagues.
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Why do we have government? Why do they not think on the effects of their policies on the entire population? How many dropout should I be expecting again? How many upcoming glories of our dear countries will suffer in the hand of bad policies? Hmmm! May God have mercy.
Children are falling sick because their parents cannot give them three square meals and what they are fed with are not even good for their health. The last time I went to market a woman was buying indomie crumbs that have been exposed to air for her children, I remembered they used it then as fish food, it was literally meant for animals. It's now even expensive. If I was told that in the next two years Beans will become gold I will argue likewise Garri (cassava flakes).
Students academic performance has dropped greatly, many are discouraged to study, they all want money and they are willing to do anything to get it. Their parents couldn't caution them because they too get from their dubious acts. This is sadden.
Those working hard and doing things in the right way have little to show for it, they look like fools while those that exploit people are making waves and this has been a major distraction to most of these learners. It takes seriously counselling to win the hearts of many.
I hope and pray everyday for a change in policies, I wish my students can get access to good food, free medical care and quality education. I want a policy that there will be free food for learners in schools.
Every year, government allocate billions of naira to the education system but most of it never reached the grassroots it falls into the hand of unknown powers that don't care about the poor. Corruption everywhere. I was more pained when I hear students saying "Ma, stop whinnying us, things don't get better in Nigeria, once prices increase they don't come down" I have actually lost quality evidences to convince them otherwise. The only way I have been conquering this argument is to tell them that the world is waiting for them to bring the change we desire.
I will console myself and anyone is my shoes with this common saying "if there is life, there is hope" surely there is hope for everyone alive today, don't give up! We move!
Thanks for stopping by.
Wes & Grindan
