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Swali 1 Ripoti
Write a story to illustrate the saying: Half a loaf is better than none.
Elias had spent three years saving every spare coin for a very specific goal: a vintage 1950s printing press. As an aspiring independent publisher, he didn't just want any machine; he wanted the Heidelberg Windmill, a masterpiece of engineering that would give his books a soul that digital printers simply couldn't match.
The day of the regional estate auction arrived, and Elias sat in the front row, his palms damp. He had managed to scrape together £2,500. He knew it was a modest sum, but he hoped the remote location of the auction would deter the big-city collectors.
When the lot finally came up, the bidding started at £1,000. Elias’s heart soared. He bid £1,500. A man in the back immediately countered with £2,000. Elias went to £2,200. The stranger went to £2,500.
Elias felt the air leave his lungs. He pushed his luck. "Two thousand, five hundred and fifty!" he called out, adding the emergency cash from his pocket.
"Three thousand," the stranger said calmly.
The gavel fell. The dream was gone. Elias walked out of the hall, his chest tight with a mixture of anger and grief. He was ready to give up entirely. If he couldn't have the Heidelberg, he told himself, he didn't want to print at all.
As he walked toward the car park, an elderly man named Arthur, who had been watching the auction, caught up with him.
"Tough luck, son," Arthur said. "But you know, I have an old tabletop Adana press in my shed. It’s small—you can only print one page at a time, and it needs a bit of oil—but it works. I’d let it go for £300."
Elias scoffed. "An Adana? That’s a hobbyist’s toy. I’m trying to start a publishing house. I need the Heidelberg or nothing."
"Well," Arthur shrugged, "nothing is exactly what you have right now. With the Adana, you could at least print your first collection of poems. You’d be a publisher by sunset."
Elias stopped. He looked at his empty hands, then back at the auction hall where the big machine was being loaded onto a truck. He realised that his pride was keeping him stationary. If he waited until he had the "perfect" setup, he might never start.
He bought the small press. It was slow, and it required twice the effort, but two months later, Elias held the first physical copy of a book he had printed himself. It wasn't the "full loaf" he had envisioned, but that half-loaf fed his career and kept his dream alive until he could eventually afford the rest.
Maelezo ya Majibu
Elias had spent three years saving every spare coin for a very specific goal: a vintage 1950s printing press. As an aspiring independent publisher, he didn't just want any machine; he wanted the Heidelberg Windmill, a masterpiece of engineering that would give his books a soul that digital printers simply couldn't match.
The day of the regional estate auction arrived, and Elias sat in the front row, his palms damp. He had managed to scrape together £2,500. He knew it was a modest sum, but he hoped the remote location of the auction would deter the big-city collectors.
When the lot finally came up, the bidding started at £1,000. Elias’s heart soared. He bid £1,500. A man in the back immediately countered with £2,000. Elias went to £2,200. The stranger went to £2,500.
Elias felt the air leave his lungs. He pushed his luck. "Two thousand, five hundred and fifty!" he called out, adding the emergency cash from his pocket.
"Three thousand," the stranger said calmly.
The gavel fell. The dream was gone. Elias walked out of the hall, his chest tight with a mixture of anger and grief. He was ready to give up entirely. If he couldn't have the Heidelberg, he told himself, he didn't want to print at all.
As he walked toward the car park, an elderly man named Arthur, who had been watching the auction, caught up with him.
"Tough luck, son," Arthur said. "But you know, I have an old tabletop Adana press in my shed. It’s small—you can only print one page at a time, and it needs a bit of oil—but it works. I’d let it go for £300."
Elias scoffed. "An Adana? That’s a hobbyist’s toy. I’m trying to start a publishing house. I need the Heidelberg or nothing."
"Well," Arthur shrugged, "nothing is exactly what you have right now. With the Adana, you could at least print your first collection of poems. You’d be a publisher by sunset."
Elias stopped. He looked at his empty hands, then back at the auction hall where the big machine was being loaded onto a truck. He realised that his pride was keeping him stationary. If he waited until he had the "perfect" setup, he might never start.
He bought the small press. It was slow, and it required twice the effort, but two months later, Elias held the first physical copy of a book he had printed himself. It wasn't the "full loaf" he had envisioned, but that half-loaf fed his career and kept his dream alive until he could eventually afford the rest.
Swali 2 Ripoti
It was a cold windy Monday morning just before dawn. A frail old woman who could barely see beyond a few metres ahead of her—an early septuagenarian—braved all odds and stepped out onto the dirty road in the village of Koomla. For her, today's duty had to be done even if it meant further risking her delicate health. "What would I not do for Koku to amount to something in this life that has given me nothing but woes?" Mma Koku thought to herself.
And so, despite the ominous signs from the sky, and wearing just a threadbare sweater over an equally aged wrapper, she forged ahead, daring the draught of air that was threatening to topple her. Luckily, the sand ground was still largely undisturbed owing to the dew, so she didn't have to contend with fending off particles from her often rheumy eyes.
"Come what may" Mma Koku assured herself as her left foot planked into a muddy pothole she hadn't seen in time, "today I shall see the pathfinder, before he leaves for the city." Her destination was still about nine kilometres away. At home, The Pathfinder; a middle-aged university teacher—the very first person to earn the highest postgraduate degree from the village of Koomla—had just roused himself from dreamland. In the dream, a figure in white had told him he owed an obligation to the old woman. She was on her way to give him a parcel for her son studying in the university in the city, about a thousand miles away.
The Pathfinder had come home for a two-day visit and the news had got to Mma Koku, who gladly took all her savings for the last three months, put it in a small envelope and tied up in the edge of her wrapper. The duo were to meet at the junction where the village road led off to the city. "You know, Lord, this is all I have. Please let my son turn out well," the old woman prayed. "No sacrifice is too much for one's child," she heaved, skipping over another muddy pothole, for it had rained the previous day.
By the time Mma Koku got about a mile from The Pathfinder's home, the day was now bright enough for her to see with less strain. However, the sky suddenly became overcast and only seconds later, there was a torrent from the heavens. There was very little that the surprised old woman could do to stave off the watery onslaught, so she trudged on stoically. At the appointed place, The Pathfinder activated his wipers at top speed as he stayed on the lookout for the person he was expecting.
As drenched as Mma Koku came into view, The Pathfinder switched off the ignition and rushed out to meet up with her, guiding her into a nearby shed. After a few minutes of pleasantries, she handed over her widow's mite. "Mma, please wait here till the sky stops weeping," he begged her. "I must run along now."
"Ah, what can beat a mother's love!" Dr Felix Adoka soliloquised pensively, shaking his head as he winked a left turn to an oncoming driver, prepared to confront the elements. "I shall ensure her son gets a teaching job once he is done," he promised himself.
a. Why did Mma Koku leave home on a cold, windy Monday morning?
b. What two difficulties did Mma Koku face on her way to meet The Pathfinder?
c. What may have prompted the villagers to call the man "The Pathfinder"?
d. What two indications are there in the passage that Mma Koku was poor?
e. What was The Pathfinder's attitude toward Mma Koku?
f. What was the expectation of Mma Koku concerning her son?
g. In what age range would you place Mma Koku?
h. "...sky stops weeping..."
What figure of speech is contained in the expression above?
i. "...before he leaves for the city..."
i. What is the grammatical name of the expression above?
ii. What is its function?
j. For the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage:
i. delicate
ii. ominous
iii. an obligation
iv. overcast
v. pensively
a. She left home to meet "The Pathfinder" (Dr Felix Adoka) at a junction to give him a parcel containing her three months' savings for her son who was studying at a university in the city.
b. The two difficultioes Mma Koku faced on her way to meet The Pathfinder includes:
i. She was a frail, elderly woman with poor eyesight ("rheumy eyes") and delicate health.
ii. She had to navigate muddy potholes from previous rain and was eventually caught in a heavy rainfall that left her drenched.
c. He was the very first person from the village of Koomla to earn the highest postgraduate degree (a PhD).
d. Two indications that Mma Koku was poor include:
i. She was wearing a "threadbare sweater over an equally aged wrapper".
ii. She had to save for three months just to provide the "widow's mite" (a small amount of money) she sent to her son.
e. His attitude was one of respect, empathy and kindness.
f. She expected and prayed that her son would amount to something in this life and turn out well through his university education.
g. She is in her early seventies.
h. The figure of speech used is personification.
i. i. Adverbial clause of time.
ii. It modifies the verb "shall see".
j. i. delicate: frail, fragile, weak
ii. ominous: threatening, menacing, foreboding
iii. an obligation: a duty, a responsibility, a debt
iv. overcast: cloudy, dark, gloomy
v. pensively: thoughtfully, reflectively, deeply in thought
Maelezo ya Majibu
a. She left home to meet "The Pathfinder" (Dr Felix Adoka) at a junction to give him a parcel containing her three months' savings for her son who was studying at a university in the city.
b. The two difficultioes Mma Koku faced on her way to meet The Pathfinder includes:
i. She was a frail, elderly woman with poor eyesight ("rheumy eyes") and delicate health.
ii. She had to navigate muddy potholes from previous rain and was eventually caught in a heavy rainfall that left her drenched.
c. He was the very first person from the village of Koomla to earn the highest postgraduate degree (a PhD).
d. Two indications that Mma Koku was poor include:
i. She was wearing a "threadbare sweater over an equally aged wrapper".
ii. She had to save for three months just to provide the "widow's mite" (a small amount of money) she sent to her son.
e. His attitude was one of respect, empathy and kindness.
f. She expected and prayed that her son would amount to something in this life and turn out well through his university education.
g. She is in her early seventies.
h. The figure of speech used is personification.
i. i. Adverbial clause of time.
ii. It modifies the verb "shall see".
j. i. delicate: frail, fragile, weak
ii. ominous: threatening, menacing, foreboding
iii. an obligation: a duty, a responsibility, a debt
iv. overcast: cloudy, dark, gloomy
v. pensively: thoughtfully, reflectively, deeply in thought
Swali 3 Ripoti
Write an article suitable for publication in your school magazine on the need to revive the activities, clubs and societies in schools.
REVIVING THE HEARTBEAT OF LEARNING: THE CASE FOR SCHOOL CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
By: Oluoma Chidi
In the modern educational landscape, there is a growing, dangerous tendency to view schools solely as "grade factories." We focus so intensely on the curriculum and examination results that we have inadvertently allowed the vibrant culture of school clubs and societies to wither away. However, as any seasoned educator will tell you, a school without active societies is like a body without a heartbeat. There is an urgent need to revive these clubs to ensure a truly holistic education for the 21st-century student.
Firstly, clubs and societies are the primary incubators for leadership and soft skills. While a mathematics classroom teaches logic, the Literary and Debating Society teaches the art of persuasion, confidence, and public speaking. In a world where emotional intelligence and collaboration are increasingly valued by employers, the "hidden curriculum" found in the Press Club or the Jet Club is indispensable. These platforms allow students to take initiative, manage peers and solve real-world problems - skills that cannot be fully captured in a standardised test.
Furthermore, these societies bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. A student in the Agricultural Club doesn't just read about soil erosion; they get their hands dirty in the school garden. This aligns perfectly with the "active learning pathways" that modern pedagogy advocates. When students engage in hobbies through the Music Club or the Drama Society, they find a healthy outlet for stress, which significantly improves their mental well-being and, ironically, their academic performance.
Finally, clubs foster a sense of community and belonging. In a large school, it is easy for a student to feel like just another number. However, being a member of a niche group, like the Chess Club or the Red Cross Society, provides a support system and a sense of identity. To revive these groups, school management must allocate dedicated time within the weekly timetable for club activities and provide modest funding for their projects.
In conclusion, education must be more than the pursuit of an "A" grade. We must revive our clubs and societies to produce well-rounded individuals who are not only academically sound but also socially competent and emotionally resilient.
Maelezo ya Majibu
REVIVING THE HEARTBEAT OF LEARNING: THE CASE FOR SCHOOL CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
By: Oluoma Chidi
In the modern educational landscape, there is a growing, dangerous tendency to view schools solely as "grade factories." We focus so intensely on the curriculum and examination results that we have inadvertently allowed the vibrant culture of school clubs and societies to wither away. However, as any seasoned educator will tell you, a school without active societies is like a body without a heartbeat. There is an urgent need to revive these clubs to ensure a truly holistic education for the 21st-century student.
Firstly, clubs and societies are the primary incubators for leadership and soft skills. While a mathematics classroom teaches logic, the Literary and Debating Society teaches the art of persuasion, confidence, and public speaking. In a world where emotional intelligence and collaboration are increasingly valued by employers, the "hidden curriculum" found in the Press Club or the Jet Club is indispensable. These platforms allow students to take initiative, manage peers and solve real-world problems - skills that cannot be fully captured in a standardised test.
Furthermore, these societies bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. A student in the Agricultural Club doesn't just read about soil erosion; they get their hands dirty in the school garden. This aligns perfectly with the "active learning pathways" that modern pedagogy advocates. When students engage in hobbies through the Music Club or the Drama Society, they find a healthy outlet for stress, which significantly improves their mental well-being and, ironically, their academic performance.
Finally, clubs foster a sense of community and belonging. In a large school, it is easy for a student to feel like just another number. However, being a member of a niche group, like the Chess Club or the Red Cross Society, provides a support system and a sense of identity. To revive these groups, school management must allocate dedicated time within the weekly timetable for club activities and provide modest funding for their projects.
In conclusion, education must be more than the pursuit of an "A" grade. We must revive our clubs and societies to produce well-rounded individuals who are not only academically sound but also socially competent and emotionally resilient.
Swali 4 Ripoti
For all well-meaning citizens, the moral decadence in our society nowadays is cause for concern. Some have argued that the root cause of this decadence is poor parenting. Indeed, poor parenting has given rise to most of the criminality that we witness today. We all keep on complaining when in fact parents themselves are largely to blame for the unsavoury situation. In order to improve this situation, parents need to inculcate certain sterling qualities in their children.
There is no doubt that temptations are bound to arise in everyday life. However, if lessons in self-control are instilled in children, they will be able to resist temptations. Children who have self-control are not likely to have problems with the law; moreover, they will be able to avoid health issues and financial stress, as well as other consequences of lack of self-restraint. For example, a child who has been taught to avoid eating junk food will not become obese. Such a child already knows that every action has a consequence.
Today, many people consider themselves better than others and therefore look down on them. They are arrogant, impudent and intolerant; as such they are hardly ever willing to accommodate other people's ideas. A child who has imbibed the virtue of humility will be respectful, take interest in others and be willing to learn from them. Sometimes, humility is misconstrued as a weakness but in reality it is a strength which helps people to recognise their faults and acknowledge their limitation.
Parents should ensure that their children take active part in chores and duties at home. They will therefore know that there is virtue in serving others.
In life, we cannot avoid obstacles and disappointments. A child cannot learn how to walk without occasional falls. Similarly, in life we experience occasional setbacks. For example, a child may fail a test at school. In such a situation, what is needed is encouragement that will boost the child's confidence for future tests. Parents can help the child to work out a strategy for achieving resounding success. Children should be taught the truth in the axiom, "If you fail at first, try, try and try again." This training in resilience helps children to face life's challenges with confidence.
Many adults lack integrity, so when they say "yes" they really mean "no". They can therefore hardly be trusted or relied on and usually fail to take responsibility for their actions or failures. The actions of such adults have grave implications for society. If parents train their children on the need to have integrity, such children will not go about engaging in criminal activities.
Cutting corners in order to get rich quick is the stock-in-trade of many adults, who now engage in all forms of illegal and unwholesome activities to acquire sudden wealth. Indeed, the culture of hand work is fast disappearing. If children are well trained in appreciating the value of hard work, they will grow up into adults who will shun all forms of shady activities aimed at making an overnight fortune.
Obedience to laws is a key quality that will make any society stable and function smoothly. For example, if taxes are paid when due as stipulated by societal laws, money realised will be used to provide the badly needed social amenities and infrastructure. Parents have an important role to play by training their children to obey rules and regulations at home. This training will enable them to become law-abiding adults.
In the light of the foregoing, parents should be good role models in terms of character, comportment, speech and dedication to duty among other things. Only under such circumstances can we build a stable society that benefits all.
In six sentences, one for each, summarise the qualities that the writer advises parents to instill in their children.
The following are the qualities the writer advises parents to instil in their children:
Parents should teach their children self-control so they can resist temptations and understand that every action carries a consequence.
It is essential to instil the virtue of humility to enable the children to be respectful and willing to learn from others.
By involving children in household chores, parents can teach them the value of service to others.
Parents should foster resilience in children to help them face life's setbacks and challenges with confidence.
Training children in integrity is necessary to ensure they become trustworthy adults who take responsibility for their actions.
Children must be taught to appreciate hard work and the importance of obeying laws to ensure a stable and functional society.
Maelezo ya Majibu
The following are the qualities the writer advises parents to instil in their children:
Parents should teach their children self-control so they can resist temptations and understand that every action carries a consequence.
It is essential to instil the virtue of humility to enable the children to be respectful and willing to learn from others.
By involving children in household chores, parents can teach them the value of service to others.
Parents should foster resilience in children to help them face life's setbacks and challenges with confidence.
Training children in integrity is necessary to ensure they become trustworthy adults who take responsibility for their actions.
Children must be taught to appreciate hard work and the importance of obeying laws to ensure a stable and functional society.
Swali 5 Ripoti
There have been several articles in the national newspapers on the lack of maintenance of public facilities. Write a letter to the editor of one of the newspapers expressing your opinion on the matter.
45, Adesola Street,
Iyana-Ipaja,
Lagos State.
6th March, 2026.
The Editor,
The National Daily,
Ikoyi, Lagos State.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: THE DEPLORABLE STATE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND THE NEED FOR A MAINTENANCE CULTURE
I am writing to express my strong support for the recent series of articles highlighted in your newspaper regarding the lack of maintenance of public facilities in our country. As a concerned citizen and student, it is heart-wrenching to witness the systematic decay of infrastructure that was built with taxpayers' money.
It has become a recurring trend where multi-billion naira projects, ranging from healthcare centres to public libraries and sports complexes, are commissioned with great fanfare, only to be abandoned to the elements a few years later. This "build and neglect" syndrome is not just a waste of financial resources; it is a significant setback to our national development. In many instances, the lack of basic maintenance, such as fixing a leaking roof or servicing a generator, eventually leads to the total collapse of the entire structure, requiring ten times the original cost for reconstruction.
The root of this problem lies in our collective attitude. We often treat public property as "government property" that belongs to no one, rather than a shared asset that belongs to everyone. Furthermore, the absence of dedicated maintenance units in many of our public institutions ensures that minor faults grow into irreparable damage.
To curb this trend, I suggest that the government must incorporate a mandatory maintenance plan into every public contract. There should be a budget specifically ring-fenced for the upkeep of these facilities. Additionally, public enlightenment campaigns are needed to foster a sense of ownership among citizens and encourage them to report and protect public assets.
Public facilities are the physical backbone of our society. If we continue to let them rot, we are essentially mortgaging the future of the next generation. It is time we moved beyond the excitement of commissioning new projects and embraced the discipline of maintaining what we already have.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Joy Gabriel.
Maelezo ya Majibu
45, Adesola Street,
Iyana-Ipaja,
Lagos State.
6th March, 2026.
The Editor,
The National Daily,
Ikoyi, Lagos State.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: THE DEPLORABLE STATE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND THE NEED FOR A MAINTENANCE CULTURE
I am writing to express my strong support for the recent series of articles highlighted in your newspaper regarding the lack of maintenance of public facilities in our country. As a concerned citizen and student, it is heart-wrenching to witness the systematic decay of infrastructure that was built with taxpayers' money.
It has become a recurring trend where multi-billion naira projects, ranging from healthcare centres to public libraries and sports complexes, are commissioned with great fanfare, only to be abandoned to the elements a few years later. This "build and neglect" syndrome is not just a waste of financial resources; it is a significant setback to our national development. In many instances, the lack of basic maintenance, such as fixing a leaking roof or servicing a generator, eventually leads to the total collapse of the entire structure, requiring ten times the original cost for reconstruction.
The root of this problem lies in our collective attitude. We often treat public property as "government property" that belongs to no one, rather than a shared asset that belongs to everyone. Furthermore, the absence of dedicated maintenance units in many of our public institutions ensures that minor faults grow into irreparable damage.
To curb this trend, I suggest that the government must incorporate a mandatory maintenance plan into every public contract. There should be a budget specifically ring-fenced for the upkeep of these facilities. Additionally, public enlightenment campaigns are needed to foster a sense of ownership among citizens and encourage them to report and protect public assets.
Public facilities are the physical backbone of our society. If we continue to let them rot, we are essentially mortgaging the future of the next generation. It is time we moved beyond the excitement of commissioning new projects and embraced the discipline of maintaining what we already have.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Joy Gabriel.
Je, ungependa kuendelea na hatua hii?