Your letters to Auntie Betty
I CAN'T READ FROM THE BOARD
Dear Auntie Betty, I am in junior high school (JHS) Form One and the shortest girl in the class, I sit at the back and cannot see from there.
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Whenever I have to copy notes or do exercises on the board, I copy from my friends or the person sitting close to me. Anytime I do that, my teacher would say I am copying. This worries me a lot because my friends laugh at me when he says that. He tells me if my eyes are not good I should go and get spectacles. What should I do?
Azane, Ashaiman.
Dear Azane, It looks like the problem is with where you are seated in the classroom so you need to tell your teacher that you cannot see the board so he can change your position.
Usually those who are short are made to sit in front but your teacher might have reasons for doing that.
Azane, do not keep this to yourself and suffer in silence because you have not done anything wrong. You need peace of mind at school to be able to study so go ahead and inform your teacher and your problem will be solved.
MY DREAM IS SHATTERED
Dear Auntie Betty, I am an 18-year-old-boy in SHS One. My dad died when I was an infant so I grew up in the care of my mom.
When I turned 16, my grandmother convinced my mom to send me to my uncle. Some months later, my mom also died. But staying with my uncle is like hell because he does not want me to pursue my dream. When I complain to people, they see it as good training.
When I was in JHS he did not allow me to have extra classes. He did not pay my fees regularly so I had many problems and I did not perform so well in the BECE. I had aggregate 19. My dream was to be a doctor but my JHS teacher changed the SHS schools I chose. This made my uncle very angry and he sent me to KATECO and chose woodwork as my course.
I also changed it to General Arts 2. If I couldn’t become a doctor then I would want to become an immigration officer in future. I, therefore, joined the cadet corps in my school just for basic training before I complete school, but my uncle and his wife have stopped me from the cadet training.
I need advice now because I am not happy and I see that my future is at risk. I don’t even know what my future career will be because they want to jeopardise my future.
SEA, Accra.
Dear SEA, I know you will be frustrated by all that is going on but all hope is lost. You have to count yourself lucky because in spite of all the problems you faced as a child, you have been able to go to senior high school so you have to make the best of it. Your best bet will be to study hard and not be weighed down by any of these problems.
Make sure you study hard and attain excellent grades to be able to pursue the profession you want. So don’t worry unduely; just be patient things will work out well for you in the end if you remain respectful to your uncle. Listen to advice and ensure that your uncle continues to pay your fees.
Don’t think that because you have been stopped from the cadet training that is the end of your career as an immigration officer. You can still pursue your dream; it all depends on how well you perform in the exams. Do not leave any stone unturned so that if you gain admission to a tertiary institution your uncle will not have an excuse. Continue to be the good boy that you are and remember that things will change one day.