BY VICTOR OCHIENG’
We congratulate Form Ones for making it to high school. They are winners because they bore the brunt of Covid-19 pandemic and bounced back better, after the disaster. They had little time to run the last lap as schools raced against time to complete the syllabus. Crash programmes took a toll on them but they understood that precious things are products of pressure.
No wonder, we wish them well in the next stage. Right away, they should know that primary is not secondary. Things are going to change. Winsome wisdom says, new levels, new devils. High school life is rife with chilling challenges. Content learnt in Form One will be useful in the final secondary school exam. In high school, there will be no more multiple choices in exam. They will just write what they know. Therefore, they should start it right.
In a larger sense, marks they scored in KCPE are now water under the bridge. They should let bygones be bygones. Every Form One should strive to attain a jig-saw fit in high school — and unleash his or her best in the new level of learning. Come rain, come shine, they should begin to win. Everything worth celebration has a starting point. Pantheon of wise men say that a good beginning makes a good ending. To get anywhere, we must start somewhere, or we will go nowhere. By a yard, it is hard, but inch by inch, everything is a cinch.
Every Form One must know that we are our own doctors when it comes to curing cold feet and healing hot heads. We may make it in case no one believes in us, but we will never access success in case we lack self-belief. We can win. For Romans 8:37 says that we are more than winners are. Through it all, Form Ones will lose bitter battles, but they should wage and win the big war. Form Ones who want to win must focus on useful study skills. They should be good stewards of time. They should build their attention and concentration spans. They should have all-inclusive timetables and well-written notes.
Form Ones who want to win must report to high school with relevant academic tools. They should guard their chattels so that other students suffering from kleptomania do not disappear with them. Form Ones should cultivate rich reading culture as early as possible. Form Ones must know that people go to school to learn and not to waste themselves. Learning is acquisition of knowledge and skills. Learning is change of behaviour and attitude — mindset plus beliefs.
Moreover, Form Ones should focus on acceptable code of conduct. For high schools are melting pots of all manner of students. Some are morally upright, while others are morally bankrupt. Form Ones may meet some students who have experimented on narcotic drugs. Through whims of peer pressure, they may find themselves in the horrible holes of drug addiction. The way a preposterous peer told me when I joined Form One in the Gem of Siaya: Ochieng’, Son of the Lake, if you just take a puff of bhang, you can fly to Jamaica. In case I was doltish and foolish, I would have slipped and fallen.
Again, Form Ones should know that they may meet some high school scholars who will try to lure them into perversion such as homosexuality — gayism among boys, and lesbianism among girls. In such tempting instances, they should stand up and say no to the obnoxious behaviour. Most Form Ones are young and naive. Sometimes, some feel fearful and confused. Some do not know how to clad properly in school uniform, or how to apply oil on the face. In schools where Form 2, 3 and 4 suffer from paucity of etiquette on handling guests, Form Ones can feel embarrassed and harassed.
Thank God. Bullying is dead. Those who went to school when bullying was at its epic peak know that schools were not that enjoyable. They were eyesores. Schools gave newbies migraine. After the crack of twilight, in the dead of the night, bad boys would give an innocent Form One a bucket to go outside the dormitory and fetch darkness. Things have changed. Our schools are safe havens. Even if there are vestiges of these bully and burly students, Form Ones should not worry. For worry is wasteful. School administrations are in control.
Schools can help Form Ones begin, learn and win, if only they give them warm receptions. First impressions are last impressions. The way we usher guests into the house can cause tension to tighten or make them to feel at ease. Therefore, Principals should come up with comprehensive Form One Plug-in Programmes: Proper induction and orientation. It begins with home-grown approaches. Then, invitation of guest speakers to polish pale parts; through delivery of pep talks revolving around good grafting
Principals should ensure that they prepare old students and teachers adequately to receive the new kids in the block. Class teachers who are going to be care-givers should ascend to their royal roles with clock-like precision. Principals should implore parents to play their part: support the pot right from the onset. Parents should comply, cooperate and collaborate with schools.
The writer addresses students, staff and parents during form one induction and orientation. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
