CULPRITS AND THE BLUE BOOK

Face of fear

Out of the many, a section was selected and given powers to assert fear in the name of  enforcing law and order within the community.  And to all those who went against the rules of the land were taken as culprits and their names were recorded in the blue book pending trial..................

2012, I joined an institution for an advanced certificate (I will not disclose the name). For real most of the students looked uncomfortable with the situation in the school but there was nothing they could do. Right from the administration block, one could easily tell the happenings basing on the teachers' conversations.

I too joined the rest of the boys at the dormitory side. I felt nervous since my memory had no copy of any boy at that time. Amur,I recall  he became the first friend. During evening he made me tour the whole school marking all the necessary buildings just in case.

The school had very beautiful girls, covering their heads with black veils, their top with yellow t-shirts and their bottom with black long skirts. Really they looked nice and attractive

. So my eyes couldn't resist.  But every time I looked at a girl, Amur could say " they will note you in the blue book" . Unfortunately he feared to explain the details claiming "wait you will know".

The phrase "they will note you in the blue book" didn't end with Amur but it was used by various students in case something unacceptable happened. It instilled fear in me following scaring incidents of purnishing students instantly. It was tough for all of us and joy for the teachers.

A one Monday evening, an assembly was called for and it was named the "disciplinary assembly". Normally this was conducted to purnish law breakers and remind students to abide by the rules of the land.

 After anthems,a big man stepped forward, "we have names of criminals in this book, and the moment we call you, just know your done". He said the words pointing at the book in his hands that was blue in colour. Here I got it clear that the blue book contained names of culprits.

Most of the culprits were expelled out of school, others suspended and a few were being purnished inform of  caining. There was a committee of teachers who presided over disciplinary issues and the main head was the headmaster. The committee made students live in fear and it always claimed to be having spies.

Many African education officers believe in using fear to control students an act which violates the rights of students. They set their own rules and regulations which in most cases don't comply with rules governing the country.

Whoever is reading this, am sure you have ever witnessed such a situation.  Let's take responsibility of checking the operations of our schools towards the rules governing our brothers and sisters under the umbrella of teachers.