Sara knows it all

“Sara Mordi, first position!” The headmaster of King’s nursery and primary school, Kaduna state, announced as the students and parents clapped and cheered for Sara as she came out for the tenth time on the speech and prize-giving day.

Ten-year-old Sarah was not surprised her name was called. This was her third year picking the prize for the overall first position; nobody could take it from her. As she stretched her hand to collect her gift, the headmaster announced.

“Because Sara has been taking this position for the past three years, she will be given a double promotion to the next class!” All the students and parents were shouting and clapping, Sara smiled in pride.

Later that day, Mr and Mrs Mordi took their children out to celebrate their good results. Though Sara had come overall first, her three siblings had all made good grades in their classes too.

“Sara now you have been doubly promoted, you will have to work harder so you can maintain your position.” Mr Mordi said.

“Don’t worry Daddy, I have everything under control. They will not be able to beat me.” Sara replied in between scoops of ice cream.

“Sara, Daddy is right. Don’t get too cocky, you will have to study hard with a private tutor during the holidays, so you don’t fall behind, you are skipping a class you know.” Mrs Mordi advised her daughter.

“I don’t need a private tutor, I can study by myself. It’s not a big deal mummy.” Sara replied with a careless shrug of her shoulders.

“Madam know it all, you will not listen to Daddy and Mummy for your good, “Ben, Sara’s eight years old brother chipped into the conversation.

“Who asked you?” Sara snapped at her brother, turning to her parents she said,

“Don’t mind him, Mummy and Daddy, I can handle it, trust me.”

Mr and Mrs Mordi were unable to convince Sara to agree to extra coaching. But Mr Mordi had a condition. “If you don’t pass your exam after the first term, I will instruct your headmaster to take you back to your class.” Sara was sure it will not happen.

The holiday flew by. Had Sara studied? No, bossy Sara spent half the time getting her siblings to do her bidding and the rest of the time was spent playing.

“I don’t need to study hard, I can catch up in school, and it will be very easy.” She said.

The new class was different from what Sara thought, her new classmates were bigger and the teaching was different. Sara tried very hard to catch up and understand what she was being taught. The first test came and Sara failed to her shock. She hid it from her parents and tried all her best to retain her former place but she kept struggling till the examination period came.

Sara knew she was in trouble but didn’t know how to tell her parents, she hoped her daddy will not remember his condition.
Results came out and Sara failed woefully.

She cried brokenly as her father told her, “prepare to go back to your class next term, and I hope you have learned your lesson.”
Sara felt Daddy was being unfair. She tried asking Mummy to talk to Daddy on her behalf, “Please Mummy, next term I will go back to my position you will see, it’s because this was the first term. Just tell Daddy not to take me back please.” She begged.

“No, Sara. Your overconfidence got you here in the first place. You will go back and study so you can recover your place again, obviously, the double promotion was too much for you.”

This time, Sara could not convince her parents and she had to go back to her former class.

Unfortunately, Sara had missed a term in the old class, so her classmates were ahead of her, but Sara being an overconfident girl felt she could still claim her old position without any effort.

At the end of the session, Sara sat at the back while all the positions and gifts were shared. She had been promoted but not among the top student.

She learned her lesson all right because she studied hard from then on, she did not come first but her grades improved greatly.

When she left primary school and got to secondary school, you will find her always studying when she was supposed to, she also stopped being a bossy sister and a Miss know it all to her siblings.

Nobody knows it all, Sara had discovered. There is always room to learn more and listen to advice.