Based on the novel The Lekki Headmaster, according to Bepo, why is the hourly payment system beneficial?

Answer Details

This comprehension question tests recall of Mr Bepo's views on the hourly payment system, which is common in the United Kingdom and other Western countries but differs from the typical monthly salary structure in Nigeria.

According to Bepo, the hourly payment system is beneficial because it enables employees to change jobs easily. Under an hourly pay structure, workers are not locked into rigid long-term contracts in the same way they might be under a monthly salary arrangement. They can move between employers more freely, pick up additional shifts at different workplaces, or transition to new roles without the bureaucratic complexity that often accompanies monthly salaried positions. This flexibility is one of the advantages Bepo identifies when discussing the differences between the Nigerian and British employment systems.

The passage does not have Bepo arguing that hourly pay allows employees to earn more (it can, but that is not the point he makes), that it reduces workload, or that it enables more holidays. His specific observation is about the mobility and flexibility that hourly employment affords workers.