Mawufemor ran the whole two kilometres from the main market in Ho to the E.P. University College Examination Centre, where he was supposed to write an Organizational Behaviour paper. While entering the exam room, he was panting and sweating tremendously. He was also 40 minutes late, as usual.
“I’m sorry; you cannot enter!” The invigilator said calmly.
“B-b-but I am s-s-sti-still within the-the-the t-time!” Mawufemor stuttered!
The invigilator smiled. As an offer of assistance, she suggested
that he double-check his watch. Once again, Mawufemor ran back to the corridor
where he'd left his phone and grabbed it.
“Please! You are correct! I'm late! But please forgive me. Last
night, I was robbed!" He stammered again as he tried to explain himself.
"When you students want to tell lies, you start stammering...",
the invigilator mocked before allowing Mawufemor to enter the exam hall.
Mawufemor ignored her and rushed to his seat, almost in tears by this
time. He sat on his seat, apparently shaken, waiting for the invigilator to
bring him his question paper and answer booklet. His thoughts wandered to the
previous night's happenings.
He'd gone to bed that fateful night after his day's job at the Ho market near the main lorry station. He had forgotten to lock the door of the small
"container" shop he had called home for the past two years before
curling up on the floor to sleep. He was awakened at dawn by shouts in the
vicinity! Thieves had entered the area late at night to take people's items. He
dashed back into the container shop to check on his small items. And lo, his backpack was gone, along with the GHC 2,400 he had saved to cover his examination and other expenses. And gone with it, was his benefactor's sales for the previous day, the hairdresser who had
permitted him to sleep in the container shop.
"Please show me your student ID!" The invigilator's
piercing voice jolted him back to reality.
Mawufemor immediately showed his ID, to which the invigilator said,
"Please leave the hall. You are owing fees!"
“Pl-ease! I just told you I was robbed the night before!" He pleaded again, his lips stammering.
"...how is that my concern? The school is not a charitable
organization," the lady responded. “Please leave!"
Mawufemor rose slowly, with tears in his eyes, submitted his answer
booklet and question paper to the invigilator, and then departed.
When he went outside, he dashed to the finance officer's office,
where a swarm of students awaited his intervention so they could write their
exams.
"I am not granting anyone amnesty!" The finance officer yelled in a baritone voice. "You owe, go find the money so you can come
and pay!"
Realizing that waiting was pointless, Mawufemor called a few
acquaintances, some of whom sent him enough money as loans to help him pay the
fees. He hurried to the bank to make a payment, then dashed back to the examination
centre with the receipts so he could continue with his paper.
"Your script isn't here!" The invigilator said to him.
"What do you mean?" Mawufemor stomped his right foot hard on
the floor to get into a solid rhythm and prevent stammering.
The invigilator explained that the deputy finance officer had been
around to collect the scripts of all those who owed fees to prevent them from sneaking
back in to write the examinations.
Mawufemor dashed out of the exam room into the open, looking for the
deputy finance officer, who had left campus approximately 20 minutes before.
When he eventually reached him on the phone, he explained that he had left town
on his way to Accra and that he had taken the scripts with him by mistake.
"An additional five minutes, please!" The invigilator's
announcement could be heard in the distance.
Mawufemor's eyes welled up with tears, and he dropped to the floor,
sobbing like a baby. In the previous eight hours, he had lost his whole life
savings, his benefactor's money, and the opportunity to write a paper in his
final year, rendering him ineligible for graduation. He would have realized
that these were only the beginning of his many woes for the day, and even for
the week and month if he had foresight.
The story has only just started.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Comments
Sad true life story. Peculiar challenges students go through.
But I think Mawufemor should have been allowed to write the exams because for all you know that might have been his first time of owing fees and I believe hadn't been that he was robbed he could have paid his fees. FO could have compensated him to write but here lies the case FO couldn't give him listening ears too. Oh! What a sad moment for Mawufemor.
On the other hand, they should have checked how much he was owing and if it is something small left he can be allowed to write as compared to those who haven't even paid any amount.
The deputy FO, the least said about him, the better.
Personally, I think Mawufemor should be allowed to write the exams but his results should not be released until the fee is paid. This would have been better than adding another harm to a cause.
OH WHAT A CONSCIENCELESS GENERATION!!!
Think of it, even if not getting the money to help kuraa who knows may be just one word of encouragement from this invigilator can save Mawufemor o🤔
Some genuinely have challenges and not until they're giving the needed listening ear, their frustrations will only be increased by invigilators.
But there is always a light at the tunnel
Was he supposed to gather all he owe before paying or he could pay in a bit?
It's such a sad one. Maybe he always close late from work and was unable to go to the bank and he dare not put the money on his momo because of e-levy.
I really wished the school authorities allow him write the exams and prevent him from having access to his certificate after graduation until he pays the fees he's owing. But if every student that is owing is allowed to sit for the exams how then will the school also get money to pay staffs if these students delay in paying fees?
Hmmm
And true, our experiences shape us for greatness