PRIVATE SCHOOL: GIVING ME A RUN FOR MY MONEY

I've been teaching in private schools for several years now, and it's been a relatively smooth but demanding journey. However, this time feels markedly different. I sense that I'm confined to a single place, repeating the same tasks endlessly, as if I'm going in circles with no clear destination in sight.

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While private schools in other countries may evoke a sense of peace and warmth, here in Nigeria, they often elicit anxiety and trepidation. It can feel akin to sending someone to ancient Egypt, where personal aspirations seem unattainable, and hope can be scarce. Given the high unemployment rates in the country, many people adopt a mindset reminiscent of the Israelites who doubted Moses, awaiting signs before embarking on the journey to the promised land.

While I was still teaching at a private school in ABA, I began microblogging. As the third term approached, I contemplated quitting to focus on blogging full-time. However, a significant challenge was the lack of reliable power supply in our area, which meant we had to pay to charge our phones. My GIONEE S11 LITE with its meager 2970mAh battery capacity exacerbated the issue. To maintain my online presence, I frequently had to leave the premises to charge my phone, even though the principal's office was right by the exit. This situation persisted during the ZEALY ADOPTION CAMPAIGN.

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During the first term, a school meeting was convened by the school owners, where they outlined a lengthy set of rules and regulations that felt restrictive. One rule that stuck with me was the prohibition of leaving the school premises once lessons began. The school owner seemed to single me out when emphasizing this rule, her gaze seemingly saying, "Samuel Uche, this rule applies to you." To make matters more daunting, she imposed a 200 Nigerian naira penalty for any violation of this rule, all while still keeping her eyes fixed on me.

Given that other teachers were apprehensive about speaking up, I mustered the courage to raise my hand and was granted permission to speak. I decided to advocate for myself because I had reservations about trusting my suspicious colleagues, feeling like a lone wolf among them. I addressed the issue by stating that I frequently needed to leave the premises to charge my phone during lessons due to the school's inconsistent power supply, and the school still owed me two months' salary. When she suggested buying a power bank, I explained that I couldn't afford one at the moment.

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Some teachers stifled laughter but refrained from openly expressing it. She then recommended pooling money with colleagues to buy fuel for charging, but I mentioned my financial constraints and occasional cost-free charging. Her final verdict was a firm "no going out." She also outlined fines for improper dress, lateness, noisy classrooms, and classroom cleanliness, closing the book with a glance in my direction. It's ironic that they can't dismiss me due to the shortage of teachers, and while I found it somewhat amusing, it was also frustrating as my fellow teachers regarded me as an adversary.

Following the meeting, I approached her with a request for a two-day leave, but she declined my plea. Instead, she allowed me to leave work at 2 pm, which I reluctantly accepted. However, this compromise didn't fully solve my dilemma, as I still depended on consistent power supply for my online earnings, which exceeded my monthly school salary.

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