The unexpected breakthrough

Greetings!

“You are now the first student in the school, so, always pay your school fees on time.”

This was the statement that came to me from the mouth of my principal, Mr Adelekan. Then, I was being chosen as the head boy of my school, but the issue was that I used to be a defaulter when it comes to paying my school fee. Since I was not the one to pay the money, there's nothing I could do about it

So, on getting home that same day, I told my mum what happened in the school. Immediately she heard this, she leapt for joy and said,

“ Sam, congratulations on your new assignment.” I replied to her and said, “ thank you ma.”

So, it's after this conversation that I told him what the principal told me about being the first student in the school as a result of my new position. I told her that the principal said,

“ Sam, you're now the head boy. You must always be first in everything, including the payment of your school fees.”

When my mum heard this, she felt unhappy, but she promised me saying,

“ I will not let you down, I will always make sure your school fee is being paid as and when due.” “ I'm happy to hear you saying that momma.” I replied.

So, we all went to bed after the celebration. While in bed, I was happy for the privilege given to me to lead my fellow student, but at the same time, I was not happy with the situation of my family's financial status. Though, my mum was always trying to meet up, but she's never met up most especially about my school fee payment.

“How would she meet up this time around?”

This was the question I was asking myself while in bed. It's with thought that I slept off.

So, on the following day, my mum came to my room to wake me up and get prepared for school.

“ Sam, it's time for school, hurry up and dress up.” She said, immediately I heard this, I jumped off my bed and got dressed up.

“Thank God, I'm not late.” I said. So, immediately I entered the school premises, I met my school principal talking to one of the old students of the school.

“Good morning sir” I greeted him, but instead of him replying to me, he waved his hands to me. I knew he would not want to answer me because he was talking to the chairman of the old students association.

So, not quite long, the time keeper rang the bell.

“Assembly time, assembly time, assembly time.”

This was what the time keeper, Joe was shouting. So, immediately the students heard this, they all converged in the assembly ground where we all sang, danced and were given a moral talk by the teacher on duty.

It's after all the activities at the assembly that the school principal came up to the podium on the assembly ground to address us as this has always been the customer in our school.

“Good morning students.” The principal exclaimed. “Good morning sir.” the students shouted. “How are you?” Said the principal, “ we are all fime.” Replied the students.

“I have brought you good tidings this morning,” said the principal. “This morning, I have the joy of telling you that the old students of the school, under the able chairman of Mr Alao, have decided to give scholarships to some of the best students from among you.” “Heeeee,” we all shouted.

“Enough,” the principal shouted and immediately he asked us to stop the noise, juhe continued with his speech. The principal,

“This is how the scholarship program will take form. The scholarship as proposed by the Alumni of the school will be for the best students in each class and throughout their stay in this school, they will not pay anything nor buy any educational material with their money again. It's the old students that will be taking care of their needs.”

When the students heard this, they were happy and expectant of those students that would be part of the program.

“For the would be SS3 beneficiary, his or her own case would be special and different from that of the other classes and this is because, he would not only be exempted from school fee payment, nor buying of educational materials, but his or her waec and jamb examination form would be obtained and paid for by the Alumni of the school.”

So, when he had said all these in the assembly, we all left for our various classes. It's when we got to class that the messenger of the principal came to our and said,

“ head boy, your attention is needed at the principal's office.”

When I heard this I was afraid of what I was called for. Though I haven't done anything wrong, even with that, once you're being called upon to come to the principal's Office or the staff room, then you know you are in for it.

But when I got to the office, it's a different story as I met students from other classes at the office and it's as if I was the one they were all waiting for. So, immediately I entered into the principal's office, the principal began to talk, he said,

“ Without wasting much of our time here and for you all to go back to your classrooms, I will like to congratulate you all as you've been selected as beneficiaries to the proposed scholarship program of the old students. Kindly accept my congratulations. Please, come for your letter of congratulations before closing and make sure you deliver them to your parents at home. Very soon we would have a meeting with your parents. Once again, congratulations.”

So, as we were about to leave the principal's Office, he asked me not to leave yet and that I should wait behind for a brief discussion. So, I waited at the reception office for him to attend to the visitors that came in as we were about to leave the other time.

Not quite long, those visitors left his office and he called me to come in and when I got back to his office, he stood up from his seat and embraced me saying

“ Sam, I'm happy for you, accept my congratulations once again. Now you can now enjoy a tuition free session and also, your waec and jamb registration have been taken care of.”

Immediately he said this, I was elated and I thanked him for his support and I left his office for my class. But before the end of the day, the congratulatory letter was sent to us and when I got home, I tendered the letter to my mum who was happy for the great things God has done in my life.

“Sam, I'm happy for us.” She said with tears rolling down her cheeks, as she could not curtail her joy.

So, on the following day, my mum went to school with me to thank the school authority for the recommendation. The principal responded by saying,

“ you are welcome madam, but your son deserved to be helped and that's why we recommended him. Though, he merited it and that's why we recommended him.”

But even at that, my mum was full of appreciation for the kind gesture of the management towards us.

So, after all these events, we sat for the exams being paid for by the old students association of the school and I did creditably well. I got admitted into the university and with God on my side, I was picked up by a friend of my dad, who sponsored my education all through. Now I'm now a graduate doing fine with my mum and family.

Thanks for reading.

Picture are mine.