What’s your opinion on teacher’s strike?

Hurray! Israel Oreoluwa Oluwamayowa
Osunrayi poses for a snap shot as he
marked his 3rd birthday recently.I think the recent strike is very bad, because it has a disadvantage on so many children in the public school, they are hindered from learning. The strike should be called-off because students now spend their time hawking instead of learning. The government should proffer a solution to the ongoing strike, they should increase teachers’ salaries because we are the leaders of tomorrow and should be treated as one.
-Ann Daudu, 15-yr-old, SSS 2

I think the ongoing strike is a very serious one because it has been on for the past five weeks which is not fair on the students. It will have serious effects on them especially in the area of WAEC and promotional examinations. Students are busy playing instead of helping themselves by reading. The government should adhere to what the teachers want and call off the strike because we are the future leaders.
-Musa Abd-al-min, 16-yr-old, SSS 2

The strike action affects the academic perform-ance of students and also affects them mentally. I have friends who want to give up on education because of frequent strike actions. If we want a better Nigeria, then, the present state of things should be changed. As for those affected, I emplore you, don’t give up, there is a way out, just be focused and be occupied.
-Micheal Daniels, 16-yr-old, SSS3

It is really disheartening to always hear strike today and strike tomorrow. The public school children who this strike majorly affects are left to read on their own and this destabilises their academic programmes. When their friends in the private school are busy learning, they are busy playing, wasting away precious time. The government both at the state and federal levels should pay attention to the need of teachers.
-Nkom Emmanuel, 18-year-old, SSS 3

It is not good for the students because they would not be able to study continuously and consistently and most of the time their examinations are being postponed. I think the government should listen to the complaints of teachers and help them out. I think the strike should be prevented.
-Daniel Sharon, 14-yr-old, SSS 2

I think the ongoing strike is very unfair to the students whose parents cannot afford the high expenses of private schools. They will be idle and feel depressed when they see their colleagues in the private schools. I think the government should do something about it. And to the students, they should keep reading and work hard because someday, their hard work will pay off..
-Rowland Okandor, 16-yr-old, SSS 3

Poem

Friends

WHEN it hurts to
look back
And you are scared to look ahead
When you look beside you
a true friend is always there,
friends are like mornings
although you can’t have
them all day but you are
very sure you’ll see them tomorrow
they are like the sun
when it sets, it must
surely shine again
They are like the
bright stars
When the moon appears
in the sky at night
in its quietness with a
wonderfully made breeze
They will always go around
it, sparkling with glamour
They will always tell you to
be careful when excited
their words of encouragement
are like rain drops
although it seems small
to the eyes,
How wonderful friends are !!!

– Dedicated to my great friends; Lola Edem, Isaac Joseph and other wonderful kids out there.
— By John Oghenero Peace C.G.S. Ring Road, Ibadan.

FAMOUS INVENTIONS

Teddy bear named by US President

Year 2002 marked the 100th birthday of the teddy bear. To many it comes as a surprise that this major 20th century icon and childhood classic is younger than electric light, the telephone and the motor car.

The cuddly children’s toy, - quite unlike a real bear- was invented almost simultaneously in the United States and Germany but the United States undoubtedly gave it its name. In November 1902 Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, was hunting in Mississippi.

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, is the person responsible for giving the teddy bear his name. On November 14, 1902, Roosevelt was helping settle a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. During his spare time he attended a bear hunt in Mississippi. During the hunt, Roosevelt came upon a wounded young bear and ordered the mercy killing of the animal. The Washington Post ran an editorial cartoon created by the political cartoonist Clifford K. Berryman that illustrated the event. The cartoon was called "Drawing the Line in Mississippi" and depicted both state line dispute and the bear hunt. At first Berryman drew the bear as a fierce animal, the bear had just killed a hunting dog. Later, Berryman redrew the bear to make it a cuddly cub. The cartoon and the story it told became popular and within a year, the cartoon bear became a toy for children called the teddy bear.

Who made the first toy bear called teddy bear?
Well, there are several stories, below is the most popular one:
Morris Michtom made the first official toy bear called the teddy bear. Michtom owned a small novelty and candy store in Brooklyn, New York. His wife Rose was making toy bears for sale in their store. Michtom sent Roosevelt a bear and asked permission to use the teddy bear name. Roosevelt said yes. Michtom and a company called Butler Brothers, began to mass-produce the teddy bear. Within a year Michtom started his own company called the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

Named by President Theodore Roosevelt, the original Teddy bear can be found at the National Museum of National History. - Compiled by Seyi Sokoya

African Folktale

The farmer, the snake and the Heron

There was once a man hoeing away on his farm, when along came some people chasing a snake, wanting to kill it. And the snake came up to the farmer.

Says the snake: “Farmer, please hide me.” “Where shall I hide you?,” said the farmer, and the snake said: “All I ask is that you save my life.” The farmer couldn’t think where to put the snake, and at last, bent down and opened his anus, and the snake entered.

Immediately, the snake’s pursuers arrived and said to the farmer: “Hey, there! Where’s the snake we were chasing and intend to kill? As we followed him, he came in your direction.” Says the farmer: “I haven’t seen him.” And the people went back again.

Then the farmer said to the snake: “Snake, come out now. They’ve gone.” “Oh no”, said the snake, “I’ve got me a home.” And there was the farmer, with his stomach all swollen, for all the world to see, looking like a pregnant woman!

The farmer set off, and as he was going, he saw a Heron (a bird).

(To be continued next week)