Beyond the cheers and joy of National Science and Maths Quiz - Flashback

Sometime in Senior High School, a group of ten students had a shock of their lives. We all initially thought we were dreaming and hoped we would wake up from our sleep. Or maybe we are yet to?

What! Seriously, so these people must either repeat or leave the school at Form 2, third term? These were the only two options as punishment for the said students. What did they do?

Each of the ten, was reported to have engaged in one examination malpractice or the other. One of the authorities of the school was reported to have warned earlier that anyone who engaged himself or herself in any malpractice would be punished severely[sacked].As if he knew what he was saying.

One of the victims had explained when interrogated that he was picking his answer sheet which had fallen on the floor when one of the invigilators found him and accused him of cheating. Another was also found with a sheet of paper in his pocket which had history jottings on it during a science exams.

But no amount of pleading and crying from these students, parents, and student leaders would change anything. The decision was taken and it was final!

School authorities were not meticulous with their investigations. Were they meticulous they would have found out that some of these students were innocent of the infractions they were accused having committed. Lumping all of them together and slapping them with same punishment was totally unacceptable.

As if this was not enough, asking them to repeat or leave meant that they would have to use 5 years instead of 3 years to finish Senior High School. This is because the last cohort of 3 years (Senior High School) was going to end with us(2009). After that, those behind were going for 4 years. This could have at least passed as a reason to consider another punishment for the set(which would still have its corrective and deterrent effect) and not asking that they repeat or leave the school at that critical moment.

This happened some 11 years ago. But, respectfully, I submit that the school did not do a good job with this. The punishment was harsh, stony-hearted, compassionless, merciless, and was devastatingly meted out to the students.Some of them defied all the humiliation and repeated in the school. Others went to other schools but it was too late to move to form 3. They spent 5 years in Senior High School.

As we all join to cheer and celebrate our schools in the ongoing National Science and Maths Quiz, regardless what some of us have gone through, we seize the moment to ask school authorities to ensure these unfortunate occurrences do not repeat themselves. Students are equally advised to abide by rules and regulations.

But we still or should love our school anyway.

Note: The victim who explained that his sheet fell down was a Maths 'shark' who taught his colleagues.

The other victim with history jottings on the sheet in his pocket was Science 'shark'. He scored 97% in Science in Form one and was the highest.