End of the Tunnel

Serious preparations were going on

throughout the country:In two weeks, some selected primary six pupils would for the first time be writing the Common Entrance Examination alongside their older counterparts in the middle schools.

Those 11 and 12- year old pioneers were exceptionally brilliant pupils whose teachers felt could pass the entrance examination to secondary schools if given the opportunity. After a long debate on the issue, the Education Ministry had agreed to the suggestion.

Several schools were organizing extra classes for their candidates and many parents were also doing their best to make sure their children passed.

Rae, one of the few selected primary six pupils,was anxiously looking forward to it he examinations. She was confident she would pass and so encouraged her friends to start buying school items for their secondary education.

"Sheratu,I have told my mummy to buy my trunk and ' chop box' because it she waits till the last minute, prices will go up".

"But how will she fill the boxes? You don't have any school list yet, do you? So what prospectus will she be using to buy the things?

" Oh that! Last year, Hilda's School list was left with her aunt , Melissa , so l went for it last week".

" I think I should also do the same . My sister's secondary school list is still with my father. Perhaps they can also start buying my things".

Mrs Cliton , the class six teacher,smiled as listened to the conversation between the two girls.

" That's a good sign. Those two children will certainly make it. They have already prepared their minds of success so they will succeed ",she told another teacher at the teachers' common room later.

Rae's parents, Mr and Mrs Fey, made every effort to ensure their eldest child passed the Common Entrance Examination. Every lunch break they sent packed lunch bought from Jolato Fast Foods, the best in town, through their driver to Rae at school. She took fried rice and chicken,which was her favorite, twice a week; she also ate fish and chips twice and fried plantain and beans once a week. Often , when the food arrived, all her friends would come around to share it with her . On the first day , there was a rush.

" Let's form a line and then everybody will take one chip at a time,"Rae suggested to her friends when they tried to rush for the food.

So, the children formed a long queue . By the time the last child took his share there was not enough to go round again for everybody. They shared the chicken the same way and every child received just a tiny piece.

The following day, Mr Fey ordered two large plates of the chicken and chips and then every child has four pieces of the Chips after a long queue in the hot afternoon sun.

" Daddy, it's fun the way we eat the food everyday . I enjoy it so much. Today , Selena took five pieces of chips and everybody chased him."

" Did she eat them?" Mr Fey asked ,amused .

" Yes , as soon as they started chasing her pushed them into her mouth."

" So what did they do to her?" Mr Fey wanted to know.

" They pullyher shirt and she lost one bottom. She cried because her mother would beat her if she went home without the button."

" What do you think about popcorn? Let's say every child receives a small bag of it every lunch break, would they like it?"

" Oh daddy !" Rae hugged her father, " they would love forget about my chicken and chips."

When Mrs Fey returned from the market,Rae told her about the popcorn her father promised to send to her school.

" Mom, daddy says tomorrow he'll send thirty- six small bags of popcorn to my school at lunch break,"she announced as soon as her mother put her bags down.

"What for?" she asked with Surprise.

" For all my classmates, so they would not fight over my food."

" Still you must remember to share your food with others. I hope you have not forgotten that it pays to be kind to people," Mrs Fey told her daughter.

Lily, Rae's three-yera old sister, got up as soon as she heard her mother's voice. She had been brought home from the nursery school sleeping.

" I also want a small bag of pop pop,she said as she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

It's not called pop pop . It's popcorn," Klef , Rae's younger brother corrected her.

" Alright. Daddy will get a special one for you,"

Mrs Fey assured her , ignoring Klef as Lily climbed onto her lap and placed her head on her mother's chest.

" I hope you are studying very hard ," Mrs Fey addressed Rae.

" Yes,I've finished reading all my notes so now I'm going I'm doing it?"

" No."

" Okay . As I read each page I telly mind to photograph the words on the page and then kra ! It snaps the words . When I go back I'm able to write the notes without missing a word."

" She is lying, mom,"shouted Klef, who was eating with his father.

" Okay . Klef bring me a book and I'll show you."

Klef quickly brought his science Reader Five and opened the to the last page .

" Now take the photograph and let's see".

Rae took the book and read it twice , very slowly. All the family sat in silence as she did so . When she finished after about five minutes, she gave the book to her father . Klef and his mother rushed to sit by Mr Fey to follow the words as Rae repeated them.

Rae stood up, closed her eyes and began to repeat from memory everything she had read . As she got to the last but one sentence , Mr and Mrs Fey looked at each other with amazement. To their surprised , the girl completed the page without any mistake.

"Rae, you are a witch," Klef told her .

"Never call your elder sister a witch. It is not a nice word."

" Mother, what else can she be ,if she can snap pictures in her mind like that ?" asked 10-year -old Klef in amazement. Mr Fey was so shocked he looked at his 12-year - old daughter with Surprise.

" Eunice." Mr Fey addressed his wife," have you started buying Rae's school items?"

" No . Why do you ask?"

" Haven't you seen that the girl has already passed her Common Entrance Examination?"

Long after all the children had gone to bed, Mr and Mrs Fey sat in the sitting room discussing the display they had witnessed.

" But Eunice,when did this start?"

" What are you talking about?"

"I mean the frightening display we just watched." "I have no idea. I know she is very intelligent but I never knew her brain photographed everything she read."

"I don't think I like this at all and I'm afraid . If the girl continues this way, Eunice,we will soon be in very serious trouble. What can we do about it?"

" Why will we be in trouble?"

" Don't you see ? You saw how Klef reacted. The first word he could think of was ' witch'. You and I know very well that anything Ghanaians do not understand or find it strange , they conclude it must be witchcraft. Oh my God ! What shall we do now that we have a witch in oh our house?