A Long Walk Home: The Unexpected School Fee Debacle of ’94

It’s 1994. I am in Junior Secondary School. I am at form 3. We having an English lesson this morning. The School Accountant pops in and Interrupts the class.

He says,” If you hear your name on the list follow me”. I hear my name. We follow him to the staff room. We are told we haven’t paid our school fees.

We are supposed to go home from school.

I go out with my friends. Almost all of us have no money. we decide to walk home.

My school is about 30 km from home. We start the journey.

At 10 km, 3 friends say goodbye.

At 15 km, 4 more friends say goodbye.

At 30 km, I say goodbye to 5 more friends who are still walking home.

I get home. My Mum exclaims “What are you doing home from school”.

I reply,” We have been asked to come home for owing school fees”.

My Mum replies,” Wait for your father until he comes home”.

Why should I wait until my father comes home?

We don’t have a telephone in the house. It’s 1994. there are no cell phones.