Write an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper on the menace of secret cults in our schools and colleges.

Answer Details

How to approach this question: This is a newspaper article. It requires a striking title, a by-line, an introduction defining the menace, developed paragraphs on causes and effects, suggested remedies, and a firm conclusion. No address or salutation. Below is a model answer.

SECRET CULTS: THE CANKERWORM EATING UP OUR SCHOOLS

By Aisha Bello

Not long ago, our schools and colleges were regarded as sacred grounds of learning, discipline and character. Today, that noble picture has been stained by the menace of secret cults. Barely a week passes without a report of bloodshed, initiation or terror on one campus or another. If urgent steps are not taken, our citadels of learning may soon become theatres of war.

What are secret cults? They are unlawful fraternities whose members operate in secrecy, bound by oaths and given to violence. Once glamorized as brotherhoods, they have degenerated into gangs that kidnap, maim and kill. Their activities have turned peaceful schools into places of fear.

The causes of this menace are many. Peer pressure lures weak-minded students who crave a sense of belonging and false protection. Bad parental upbringing leaves some children without moral guidance. Others are drawn in by the desire for power, revenge or the promise of easy influence over fellow students. The lure of drugs and money completes the trap.

The effects are devastating. Cultism has cut short the lives of many promising students in their prime. It has caused the closure of schools, disrupted academic calendars and spread fear among innocent students and teachers. Families have been thrown into mourning, and the good name of our schools has been dragged in the mud.

How can this evil be curbed? First, parents must give their children proper moral training and monitor the company they keep. Second, school authorities must intensify enlightenment campaigns and deal firmly with any student found guilty. Third, the government should enforce the laws against cultism and provide counselling units in schools. Above all, students themselves must resolve never to yield to the deceptive invitations of cultists.

The fight against secret cults is a battle for the soul of our educational system. Parents, teachers, government and students must join hands to drive out this cankerworm before it consumes an entire generation. The time to act is now.