Anita's new school was the best in the community. It had the best educational facilities and well-trained teachers. Gloria had chosen the school for Ngozi's daughter based on the fact that she had gathered good information about the school. She was very sure that Ngozi would love Anita to study there too. Asides from having an environment highly conducive to learning, the school had been known far and wide to have produced so many students that graduated with fine results. Some of them even won scholarships to school abroad.
Rather than join the primary five class, Anita was promoted to J.S.S I as a result of her highly commendable level of intelligence. She had scored higher than the expected grades in her admission examination. Her outstanding performance so much impressed the teachers that it was recommended and agreed that she should be admitted into Junior Secondary School. Anita was so happy to be in school again.
"Please, you will have to teach me how you get the calculation correctly. I don't want Mrs. Sandra to beat me the way I was beaten today" Onyeka, a boy in the same class as Anita pleaded with her.
"No problem. I will teach you but it has to be during the break period. I am certain the Integrated science teacher will soon be around' Anita replied to him. Hardly had she finished with her response when Mr. Silas, the Integrated science teacher walked in carrying a textbook in his right hand and a chart in his other that displayed a diagram of the human skeleton.
"Good morning everyone. How are you doing today?" He asked.
"Good morning, sir. We are happy to see you" the replied and sat down quietly afterward.
"We are studying the human skeleton today but before I proceed, can someone remind me of the topic we treated last week? He asked while his eyes focused on the students. Anita and some students raised their hands to answer the question but Mr. Silas rather pointed at a student who refused to raise his hand.
"You! Stand up! What's your name?
"My name is Edward" He replied
"Okay. Edward, I believe you were in class the last time I was here. What was the last topic?" Mr. Onome asked again. Edward became speechless. He was busy staring at the floor as if the answer lay on it.
."Living Animal" He finally replied. The students look at one another and burst into laughter even Mr. Silas couldn't stop himself from chuckling.
"Living animal? It's not only a living animal but a dead animal too. Can someone else give me the correct answer? " He requested once again. Anita and some students raised their hands once again.
"Joseph, stand up and tell us"
"Our last week's topic was 'Living things and nonliving things. We are made to understand that living things are animals and plants that possess characteristics of life. Examples include; human goats, tigers, trees, etc. Meanwhile, nonliving things are those things that are lifeless and do not possess the characteristics of life. They include; Paper, plastic, desk, books, etc."
"Good. Please, a round of applause for him" Mr. Onome ordered and all the students clapped.
"Edward, I hope you heard him? So, you have to learn the difference between them. Okay?
"Okay, sir.", replied Edward.
"Today's topic is about the human skeleton. We are going to study what a skeleton is and the components of the human skeleton and its functions. Anita was glad as soon as she saw the topic. She had already prepared ahead of the class and the topic was something she had studied and understood personally.
"Before I proceed, is there anyone here that can define what a human skeleton is?" Mr. Silas asked.
"I, sir." Anita was the only one that raised her hand this time.
"All right, Anita. Please, go ahead. "
"A human skeleton is the hard, internal structure which consists of bones that provides a frame for the human body"
"That is a very good definition" commended the teacher who was visibly impressed by her definition. He motioned for the class to give her a big round of applause before buttressing further on the topic, teaching them all they needed to know about the human skeleton. After a while, his time was up and the next teacher on the timetable roster walked in. It was Mr. Dele, the English teacher.
Mr. Dele was a very strict teacher who never tolerated nonchalance. He believed in the saying 'spare the rod, spoil the child and was always quick to flog any lazy student who wasn't ready to learn. The students maintained silence and quickly composed themselves immediately after they saw Mr. Dele at the classroom entrance awaiting the science teacher to round up. Immediately Mr. Dele proceeded to teach, he asked the students to produce their assignments. Those who failed to do their assignments had already started shivering in fear of the punishment awaiting them. Edward was among the four students who failed to do their assignments. Edward was known by all and sundry to be a dullard. He ought to have been in J.S.S 3 but because he kept failing and repeating the J.s 1 class, he had to remain in the same class alongside those who ought to be his juniors. Despite repeating the same class twice, he still wasn't serious. Mr. Dele was furious. He ordered the disobedient students to squat slightly with their arms stretched forward, a painful punishment.
"You will remain there while you listen to today's topic. He went ahead to write FIGURES OF SPEECH on the board. The students listened attentively as he taught them about the different figures of speech and examples of each.
After some time, the bell was rung for the break period, a signal for Mr. Dele to finish his lesson. He gave the students yet another assignment to write ten examples each on the figures of speech he taught them. Afterward, he flogged Edward and the other students who had failed to do the previous assignments and threatened a stiffer punishment should they fail to do the next assignment.
"Aristotle, Please, come and teach me how you got the Algebra calculation correctly." Onyeka reminded Anita as soon as the English teacher was out of the class. Mr. Akpan, the Social Science teacher had nicknamed Anita 'Aristotle' after she had answered a question so perfectly. He had likened her to the famous ancient philosopher. From then on, many of the students had begun calling her Aristotle. Anita remembered she had promised to teach him but then, she was hungry and it broke time already and she was going to the food vendor with her friend, Deborah at that moment to buy some food. Onyeka pleaded with her to spare him a few minutes as he was yet to do the Mathematics assignment and the Mathematics. the teacher would be in the class immediately after the break.
"Why do you have to assist him when he doesn't assist anybody? Leave him and let's go joor!" Deborah replied with a hiss.
"Deborah, you don't repay bad with bad. Please, learn to be good to everyone even when they don't deserve it" Anita said. Deborah felt remorseful and became calm. She then followed Anita and Onyeka to sit in a corner where they had chosen to study the calculations together. Anita believed her intelligence was a gift from God and should be utilized towards enriching her classmates when needed rather than depriving them of whatever knowledge they seek from her.