Chapter Forty-Five

On the morning of the WASSCE, which was on Wednesday, May 17th, Dera woke up early and prepared herself. She didn't even have time to do her regular morning chores. As she ate her breakfast, she checked the items she needed to bring to the exam hall.

'I'll take you there,' Emeka said as he put on his jacket.

'This isn't my first day at Peach Secondary School.'

'But it's your first day of the big exam that will change your life,' Emeka said with a smile. 'I want to be part of it.'

Dera smiled without any objections.

Since it was the WASSCE exam day for all government-registered secondary schools and WASSCE centres, students heading for the exam could be seen everywhere. English Language was a general paper, so everyone would be writing it today.

Near Peach Secondary School, officers were directing traffic to avoid road congestion. Parents and taxis taking students to the exams were also seen parking their cars near the school gates.

'Dad, I'm going in,' Dera said to her father as soon as the taxi stopped in front of the school gates.

Emeka nodded with a smile as he took out Dera's bicycle from the taxi's trunk. 'All the best, Dera. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do your best,' he said as he stood in front of his daughter and patted the top of her head. 'Ask questions if you're confused. It's allowed, right?'

Dera smiled.

'Don't forget to dot your i's and cross your t's, okay?' Emeka reminded. 'Write your names in capital letters.'

Dera nodded. Then, she took a few steps forward and jogged back to her father.

'Dera, what's the matter?' Emeka asked, concerned.

Smiling, she reached out to interlock her fingers with Emeka's and tilted her face up with a sweet smile. 'Getting blessings from my wonderful father.'

Emeka reached out and playfully pinched Dera's cheek. 'You already have my blessings, even if you don't ask for them.'

'But I still need to seek your blessings every time,' she said, a warm smile gracing her face as she looked at him. 'Please don't come to pick me up after the exams. I'll make my own way home. I have to go now.' With a final wave, she turned around and confidently walked through the school gates, pulling her bicycle alongside her instead of riding it.

Emeka couldn't stop smiling as he watched his daughter enter the school compound after being checked by the security officers hired to prevent unauthorised individuals from entering.

Parents who had come to bring their children for the exam turned to look at him. Some even whispered to each other, aware of the challenges Emeka had faced in registering his daughter. Some were happy that Dera had made it through in the end.

Emeka listened to the conversations around him with interest and smiled when his daughter was applauded for being brave and optimistic.

There was a serene atmosphere in the exam hall as Dera entered, with everyone focused on revising what they had learned. This exam was a crucial one that determined whether they would qualify for university admission or not. The day's exam consisted of three papers in WAEC English: Papers 1 and 2, which were Essay and Objectives, and Paper 3, which was the Test of Orals.

When the bell rang, signalling the start of the first paper, Dera received her exam script and smiled confidently. She picked up her pen, bowed her head, and began answering the essay questions. As the seats were arranged alphabetically, Dera found herself seated towards the back row.

Sitting next to the window in the last row was Jennifer, whose surname placed her in the alphabetical tail end of the WAEC seating arrangement. Dera, completely focused on the exam, didn't pay much attention to her surroundings and wrote confidently. Meanwhile, some students who hadn't prepared well for the English essay exam glanced around for help, while others made frequent trips to the bathroom, attempting to sneak peeks at their English textbooks or smartphones. The scene in the hall was quite amusing to watch.

During the break, Dera asked Jennifer how the essay went. Jennifer replied with a laugh, 'I did my best. English isn't my favourite subject, but I gave it a shot.'

Dera then shared some advice about the upcoming Objectives section, emphasising the importance of careful consideration before choosing the answers.

Jennifer chimed in, 'That's why we use pencils. If we make any mistakes, we can easily erase the wrong answers. And if I come across a difficult question, I'll rely on luck and go with the safe bet of choosing option C for every question.'

Dera laughed and offered her assistance, saying, 'If you find any questions challenging, just ask me right away.' Jennifer playfully called her "Robin Hood," to which Dera responded, 'My goal is not to steal from the rich to give to the poor,' with a pout.

By twelve-thirty in the afternoon, it was time for the Objectives section. As the invigilator distributed the exam booklets, Dera quickly skimmed through the entire paper before shading the correct answers with her HB pencil. She filled out the booklet happily, while some students randomly selected options ABCD without even reading the questions, relying solely on luck or cheating with "expo." On the other hand, those who had prepared well answered the questions confidently without any shortcuts.

Dera finished first but took her time to review her answers and ensure accuracy. When the exam concluded for the day after the Test of Orals, the students gathered their belongings, submitted their booklets to the invigilator, and exited the hall, engrossed in conversation. At the school gates, parents anxiously surrounded their children, enquiring about how the exams went, their level of difficulty, and whether any cheating occurred.

Dera, without the privilege of private tutors or extra classes, relied on self-study. Riding her bicycle home, she stopped by her parents' shop and hugged them tightly, sharing how well the exams had gone. Her parents expressed pride in her achievements, and Dera playfully remarked, 'I should receive grand compliments when I pass the exams.' They reassured her, and the conversation turned to her next exam—Government.

In the following days, Dera effortlessly tackled the remaining exams, with the Igbo Language exam marking the end on Friday, June 23rd. While she occasionally sought guidance from her teachers, she was proud that 80 percent of the exams were as a result of her own efforts. She felt a deep sense of pride in her accomplishment.

On the final day of the WASSCE exam, Andrew arrived at the school to pick up Dera. As soon as she spotted him at the school gates, she hurried over and embraced him tightly.

'Andrew!' Dera whispered excitedly.

'How were the exams?' Andrew enquired, sporting a smile.

'They went well,' Dera replied, her smile radiating warmth and joy, reminiscent of a beautiful and cheerful sunflower in full bloom.

Meanwhile, Jennifer stood nearby, wearing a sweet grin. She didn't want to disrupt this heartfelt moment between siblings, so she chose to remain quiet. When Andrew noticed Jennifer, he reached out and patted her shoulder.

'Hope you did well too?' Andrew asked Jennifer.

Jennifer nodded. 'Yes.'

'Is your mum coming to pick you up?' Andrew enquired.

Jennifer shook her head. 'She's in a board meeting.'

'All right then, let's go and celebrate,' Andrew suggested.

'But we're not even sure about the exam results yet,' Jennifer pointed out.

'Don't overthink it. Peach Secondary School is one of the best schools to take WASSCE exams. Even if you didn't study well, the school didn't leave anyone behind, right?' Andrew reassured with a knowing smile.

Jennifer nodded, understanding his point.

'So, let's get going,' Andrew said with a smile. 'I won $200 from #MyStudentLife challenge! After taking care of my textbook expenses and paying off my school fees, I still have some cash left. Today, it's my treat, ladies.' Andrew's joy radiated through his every word and gesture as he took the lead, guiding his sister and Jennifer towards a nearby fast-food restaurant.

'We still have NECO to write,' Dera mentioned as they settled down in a fast-food restaurant to enjoy noodles with fried eggs.

'Some students didn't register for NECO,' Jennifer remarked, taking a big bite of her noodles.

'It's not mandatory. If you're confident of passing the WASSCE, why spend money sitting for NECO?' Andrew looked at Dera and Jennifer, who were facing him. 'However, no one can be entirely sure, which is why they register for both exams. Somehow, I believe it's important to take them. Some students couldn't register for NECO due to financial constraints, while others didn't because they were optimistic about passing their WASSCE.'

'We have three weeks to relax,' Jennifer beamed.

'No, you have three weeks to prepare,' Andrew corrected. 'Make sure to study hard.'

Jennifer nodded happily.