I still remember the day I went to the internet café to check my BECE results.
The attendant printed the slip and handed it to me. I looked at it, looked at him, and said, “This is not my result.”
He calmly asked, “Who is Michael Atuahene?”
I said, “It’s me.”
He smiled and replied, “Then pay for it and take your result.” 😂
It sounds funny now, but that was the greatest shock of my young life. That result did not reflect the effort I had put into my studies. By the grace of God, I had always been among the top students and my teachers knew me for it. The results were not extremely bad, but they were not what anyone expected from me. I was deeply disappointed.
But sometimes, life happens — even at a very young age.
At Kasoa Methodist JSS, we were on the afternoon shift. We only went to school from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. That year, 83 of us wrote the BECE. The best aggregate for our entire batch was 16, and mine was either the second or third best.
Out of 83 students, only 3 got placement into Senior High School. 80 of us did not. Many of my classmates had to stay back, repeat, and rewrite the BECE before they could continue.
So when I say I understand the pain of not getting placement, I truly do. I have been there.
I eventually found a school — an unranked school that fate, or destiny, led me to.
Those who knew me in secondary school remember me for two things: academics and the dining hall 😂. I loved my books, but I also loved dining! I later became the Dining Hall Prefect, so maybe everything worked together for my good.
But beyond the jokes, secondary school taught me a very important lesson.
I watched brilliant colleagues struggle with WASSCE. I saw exceptionally intelligent students who worked hard but still did not perform well.
I don’t blame the students entirely, and I won’t put all the blame on the schools either. But let us be honest: some schools do not provide the academic environment, the teaching support, the resources, the discipline, the exposure and the encouragement students need to reach their full potential.
*My advice to parents is this:* Please do not accept just any school for your child without considering the environment.
The schools our children attend shape them. A school influences their confidence, their discipline, their friendships, their aspirations, and their understanding of what is possible. So be intentional about your child’s school.
We must admit that succeeding in a poorly resourced environment is like walking against a strong wind. It is possible, but it requires far more strength, discipline and sacrifice. A supportive and well-resourced environment does not guarantee success, but it makes the journey easier and gives students more room to discover their potential.
*And to every young person who did not get placement:* I have been in your shoes.
Not getting placement does not mean you are unintelligent. It does not mean you are a failure. And it certainly does not mean your future is over.
Today, that young boy who once stood in an internet café insisting that disappointing result could not be his, has completed a PhD with a 4.0 GPA from an R1 research university in the United States.
You may not have received the placement you wanted, but you still have the chance to rewrite your story.
I know this, because I rewrote mine.
