Student Letters

The following are letters from students, who are the first ever of their community to enter a high school.  In Europe and Africa, the high school includes two levels:  junior high school with grades 7 (JssI), 8 (JssII) and 9 (JssIII) and senior high school with grades 10 (SssI), 11 (SssII) and 12 (SssIII).

When the school first opened, all students were 7th graders. In the letters, they often give their ages far above the traditional 7th graders ‘age. Since there had been no schooling past 6th grade, some were catching up and eventually graduated in their twenties.

Traditionally, these young people would work to help support the large family.  Education is an advantage, but not compulsory.  When the new high school opened, the parents chose one child to attend while the siblings continued to work to pay the fee.  The fee for the 2016 school year was $3. 

Professor Ewa Unoke visited the new Ntsokara High School in spring of 2016, when the Board Chair sent a request to each student to introduce themselves to the Board members. We, as a Board, want to share their thoughts with you. Their native language is Igbo.   

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