I used to be extremely religious
when I was in primary school. My religiosity was a result of a catholic mission
school I went to at the time. For legal reasons, I wouldn’t mention the name of
the school but it is within Kisumu County and was very infamous during the
heydays due to devil worshipping tales (a story for another day). However, the
school’s academic performance was good nonetheless, mostly above average.
Competing favourably against the giant schools in the municipality. I think
that’s why my parents settled on it oblivious of the religious shenanigans that
went on there.
My father used to work in Garissa
which back in the day used to be the regional headquarters of North Eastern
province. So he wasn’t around most of the time. My mum, on the other hand, had
been transferred to divisional headquarters in our rural home area and because
of this change, our family relocated to the countryside. Conversely, the
schools around weren’t really good. I guess you know the challenges that rural
schools go through thereby undermining the provision of quality education. Of
course, I stood no chance to prosperity if I had attended the school because
all previous the top performers fizzled into the cloud of poverty. That’s how I
found myself in the catholic mission school.
The school had a boarding section
for boys as well as day scholars program, catering for both boys and girls. I
got admitted when I was progressing to class six and the three-year stay in
that school was in my assessment the worst education experience since I started
attending school. I felt that the school was more of a catholic indoctrination
camp instead of a learning institution that should aim at developing
all-rounded pupils in terms of academics, talent and life skills.
My typical day as a pupil in that
school used to begin at 4.45 am. We were given fifteen minutes to shower and collect
everything that you’ll need during the day because the dormitories remain
closed until 5 pm. This was followed up by cleaning activities. We were divided
into groups and given chores in various sections of the boarding compound. I
was moved around a lot in year six serving different entities. I got
transferred to the toilets, bathroom, dormitory, kitchen and lastly the dining
hall. Toilet was the worst gig one could ever get while kitchen cleaning was
the most coveted one for obvious reasons. However, in class seven, I got into a
leadership position. I was appointed the class prefect, a position which I
diligently served until my exit from the school. It was a relief because the
appointment meant that I was exempted from manual labour being done by ‘regular’
pupils. I later got more powers when I was appointed deputy dorms captain and
later transferred to deputy dining hall captain. They may seem to be a small
deal but they were a big deal then and have largely shaped my leadership skills
to this very day.
Back to the daily routine. The
cleaning was supposed to go on until 5:30 am. Thereafter, we proceeded to the
dining hall to take very hot porridge. All meals were preceded with prayers. At 6:00 am, we were
supposed to be seated in the church. The morning mass was mostly abridged so
they went for about 30-45 minutes (except for Sunday) but they took place
daily, Monday to Sunday. Attendance was compulsory and malingering could earn
you a straight expulsion because it was construed to be an anti-Christ behaviour
which was not tolerated in any measure. So after the church service, we were
made a run to the main school (they were in different locations, about 600
metres) where there was more manual labour waiting for us. Cleaning the
classrooms and the school compound.
At 7:30 am, we would have our
assembly and then proceed to class. We would then break for lunch at 12:40 pm
and return to class at 2 pm. The classes would proceed till 3:45 pm where would
again proceed for manual labour. We used to have a duty roster so that those
not in duty could go out and play. After the cleaning activities, we had rosary
prayers. This happened daily throughout the weekdays from around 4:15 pm to 5
pm. After the rosary prayers, we gathered for the evening assembly where would
then be dispersed.
For pupils boarding, we would run
back to the boarding section to shower and play a little bit as we waited for
supper that was served at 6 pm. By 6:30 pm, we were supposed to have finished
eating and go back to the main school (senior pupils) for night preps which ran
till 9 pm. At 9 pm, we congregated in the school hall for night prayers and
intercession. These lasted for about 30-45 minutes and many times they went for
over an hour if the presiding nun was feeling overly spiritual. Whenever this
happened we slept around 10:30-10:45 pm. It mattered little that we were
children and we needed more sleep time.
The weekend was a bit different. Things
were somewhat a bit relaxed. On Saturday, my day began at 5:45 am. The mass
started at 7 am departing from the weekday norm of 6 am. After church, we went
for preps till 1 pm when we get back for lunch. Thereafter, we were released to
go play till 4 pm. We would then re-converge at the boarding section for a
rosary session and practising for Sunday mass. This included reciting the
sermon readings, liturgical dances and singing. At night after supper, we could
watch a movie then sum up the day with a praise and worship session. These
would go on for 1-2 hours because it was a weekend and hence ‘no hurry to
sleep’
Sunday was the culmination of the
week and we had a bigger mass that began at 7 am and lasted for 2 hours. After
the service, we had our breakfast then went for preps till 1 pm. After lunch,
we would go back to the main school for a rosary session and bible study till 5
pm. From then on we would proceed to the boarding section for shower and supper
followed by night prep. On Monday, we would begin the cycle all over again.
However, from time to time, we had a spiritual retreats that would last 3-5
days and normal learning would be interrupted to pave way for the sessions
which had special priests coming over. They were very intense; preaching,
singing, worshipping, and spiritual deliverance for the whole day, every day
throughout the retreat week. I later came to learn that the teachers too hated
it and at one point the deputy headteacher who was a protestant opposed the
numerous spiritual activities at the school. However, he wasn’t successful as
his transfer was quickly put together and he was dispatched to distant lands in
no time.
For three years, that was largely my
routine in the school. At first, I had embraced the spiritual nourishment and
when I went back home, I was completely transformed even my family members
could not believe it. I was totally a new person walking the righteous path;
from being loud & playful to quiet & reserved. While I didn’t lose the
new personality and basic moral compass, I developed a resentment to the whole
religious indoctrination that the school was busy reinforcing upon us. Looking
back, I think the school was more of a religious camp as opposed to a learning
institution. Eventually, when I passed out of school, I didn’t want
anything to do with the Catholic Church or any other church for that matter. I
stopped going to church till date but I haven’t lost my spiritual gravitas. In
retrospect, my experience at the mission school largely contributed to my
current predicament although I have since learnt a few things along the way
that have changed my view on religion and general belief system. Even so, I
still hold and try to practice the good teachings learnt to the best of my
ability.
