By Ignatius Chukwu & Delight Clifford
Showers group of schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, seems to intensify efforts to gain more traction in developing students of balanced abilities.
The name of the has continued to pread far and near on account of high academic scores especially from the children of the downtrodden. The school has introduced aspects to train and produce the total child.
This time, the school has intensified their cultural day system aimed at getting the children to think back and dig up their cultural values on the quest to mold true leaders of tomorrow.
On March 23, 2024, the school staged the 2024 Cultural Day in the Woji compound where a variety of events took place to thrill guests and parents.
The day began with appeals to God to deliver a rainless and sunless day, something that eventually took.
After the opening prayers by Mrs Bisola Nwichi, a parent, the welcome remarks were delivered by the Proprietress, Mrs Ekama Emilia Akpan, who narrated how the school strives for excellency without blemish. She tried to explain what culture does in the fabric of the inner man.
The CEO unveiled the theme of the 2024 competition as: “Ancestry Knowledge, Our Future Confidence”.
Mrs Akpan said children must also have knowledge of where they come from to help them build up their confidence base. They must know who there were to help them overcome inferiority complex or the feeling that some other tribe was better. They must develop a sense of mutual respect between tribes by recognizing internal strengths of each tribe. “Past heroes are not all that well known by our children, and History books are devoid of such knowledge. The similarities of the Southern regions can be seen in the dress designs and dance style. Dishes of different tribes which many of you will see will show what is unique or common between tribes.”
Mrs Akpan explained the inspiration and motivation for the introduction of the yearly cultural day, saying all major tribes were represented in the activities the children delivered.
In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, a journalism guru, public relations maetro, former Commissioner of Information and Communication, and founder of De Gratia group, said “Culture is a people’s way of lofe, and it helps us have an identity”.
He commended the school for a unique identify in the academic world in Nigeria and for raising a special breed of students.
Pastor Nsirim further harped on what cultural awareness does to protect a growing child when in contact with other cultural influences.
WAEC officer weighs in
The consistent zero-tolerance to cheating and exam fraud seemed to be the focus and attraction of the school to examination bodies around including industry leaders, administrators, educationists home and abroad.
Huge encomiums emanated from West African Examination Council (WAEC) where the zonal officers have noted the efforts of the management of Showers to enforce exam success without fraud.
Speaking, Mr Ejiofor Livinus, who represented Mr John Zakka, the Deputy Registrar/Zonal Coordinator of WAEC in Port Harcourt, said Shower’s Christian School has carved a name for itself as a school with zero tolerance to examination malpractices.
He said this has impacted positively in the result of the school. “This is very commendable and we encourage the school to keep it up. The trend in the society is parents encouraging and even sponsoring their children and wards to perpetrate examination malpractices. This is a cankerworm that will do us no good.”
He went on: “It affects the children in all facets of life because it leaves them with lack of confidence in themselves.
“The west African Examinations Council conducts three diets of examinations in a year where candidates can avail themselves of the opportunity. The first is usually in February West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates first series; the second is WASSCE for school candidates usually in May/June; the third is WASSCE private candidates second series in November.”
He said the results are always released in good time to enable the candidates use it for admission purposes. “WAEC has introduced the computer-based test (CBT) and it was experimented successfully in this year 2024 WASSCE private candidates first series examination. It’s hoped to be extended to the other diets of the examination.”
Most of the guests were amazed at how the students could handle cultural activities other than theirs in cooking, dance, and drama.
Performances:
Students from different tribes were called upon to display their dressing, way of salutation, and dance. Parents came along with various food samples to stand for their children, and this was shared when it was called up. They were distributed and people could make a choice since there was enough to serve.
Delicacies like Ewedu, Akara, Atama, Afang, Amala, Fufu, Garri, Oha soup, and white soup were available.
Competitions took place among the tribes and states. Each tribe was applauded when they step out on the arena. Applause was huge when yam festival, dance, and wrestling were showcased.
At the end of it all, everyone went home with smiles that touched the heart.
