₦airaland Forum

Nasara Ya'u has finished his secondary school education but cannot spell 'pure water' correctly.
What is interesting about this out- going 18-year-old is that what he cannot spell is what he sells to sustain himself.

A street hawker along Jabi road in Abuja, Ya'u travelled from Katsina to the Federal Capital Territory to engage in sachet water business and intends to spend three months doing that before returningto his base.

Children seem to be the ones used mostly for this type of business, perhaps because it requires energy as they have to run to and fro the road, sticking water bags in the faces of passengers in buses or car owners.
These children, who ought to be in school, do this business when their schools are on holiday or abandon their education completely for money's sake. This reporter sought to know if many of them who claim they are in school can spell what they hawk.

There were three very striking similarities all the children shared. They could not spell 'pure water', they were from states in the north and their parents were uneducated. Ya'u who finished from Government Day Secondary School in Mani local government, Katsina, spelt 'pure water' after several minutes of struggle like this, "p-o-u-r w-a-t-a-r."

Whether he can spell or not does not affect how much he makes after a hard day at work as he says he can retire with anything between N900- N1, 800. He tells this reporter some of it goes for his upkeep while he saves the rest for his tertiary education. Asked why they engage in this business, the quick reply was "to pay school fees". But when it is pointed out that since they attend government schools, their fees are meagre, the next reply was "to buy school materials."

One boy, who refuses an interview, accuses his other colleague of "loving money" when he realises that his school fees per term is just N450. This boy in question swears he would stop selling water if government placed him on a scholarship and catered for his education needs. The "money lover" laughs and announces he would stop the business if he gets a scholarship and a monthly allowance of N30, 000. This brief exchange between both boys is of great significance.

It demonstrates that not every child on the street is interested in an education and that even if government did not demand a dime for education there would still be child hawkers. Mahmood Abubakar who dreams of a monthly allowance is a 20-year-old dark, tall lad with a loud mouth. He only agrees to answer questions when he is told the attention of government would be drawn to their plight and according to him that might translate to "plenty money." Abubakar in J.S.S 3 says he came from Kano and sleeps in Jabi garage. Of the three, he is the worst speller. This may be because he has money on his mind. Here is how he spells 'pure water'- "p-o-f, " and he loses steam. His peers burst out in laughter, like they know better.

18-yr-old Saminu Sali who attends a Government Secondary School came to Abuja from Sokoto on a lorry. It was a ride that lasted fourteen hours, he says. Sali says he only sells water when his school is on holiday and won't do it if his father were rich. His father sells food for a living. It is evident that these children spend more time on the streets than in the classroom.

Sali, a shrewd businessman knows the name of the sachet water he sells but spells 'pure water' like this- "peur water." Three children above 17 years, all in secondary school cannot spell 'pure water' correctly. It goes to say a lot about public education.