Today, the 15th of January was the first day of school. Thandi has always dreamed of being a quantum physicist one day and knew how to get there. Getting good grades and get into University was what was required. She was very confident, focused and has never doubted her ability to achieve anything. Achieving the best grades at school in all her previous classes boasted that confidence. School opening has always been something she looked forward to in the past. Cashing up with friends, going to the next grade, having a new Teacher, meeting new classmates, learning new games during break has always been a delight. But this year was different, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Her dear granny’s health had deteriorated and her mother being the eldest daughter and a widow had to resign from her job and move back to take care of her. Thandi was delighted by the decision to move to grannies, she was by no doubt the favourite of all the grandchildren and her granny spoiled her. But granny’s house was in a different village, far from her old school.
It was decided during the December holidays that when the schools open she would move in with her Mothers younger sister Noli who stayed in the suburbs in order to be close to a better school.
So this school was better than her old school. It was still a government school but was praised for having better curriculum and has produced great leaders. It also had strict rules and pupils who broke them received harsh punishment. It was known to take pupils that were expelled from other schools and straightened them up. Because of this reputation the school also had pupils from rich families who were expelled from prestigious private schools. Rich parents wanted to give their children everything they desire but they also longed for them to be decent human beings with morals. Unfortunately most of them were too spoiled to pay any attention to morals and good behaviour and despised rules.
The teachers here were very proud of their legacy and parents loved the discipline that was instilled in their children.
The school was a walking distance from her aunt’s house but her aunt had insisted on walking her to the school gate. After waving goodbye to her aunt she entered the gate, passed a building with many doors with signs written Teachers block. This was a big school, five times bigger that her old one. It had three long double storey blocks covering three sides and the teachers block in front of them. All four sides of the fence were covered by the double storey buildings leaving big concrete ground in between. It was completely closed off. From here you can’t see the outside and the outside can’t see the inside of the school. This made Thandi more uneasy. This place felt cold, too secluded, like a prison.
Being from humble background she has learned to adjust and accept things she could not change. If her school was like a prison then she will be the best prisoner there ever was.
