Epidemic!

SEASONAL OUTBREAK

By Ferdinand Mwongela

 A recurring syndrome hits our public universities quite regularly. An outbreak of handouts. For the uninitiated, handouts are simply extra notes. We are swamped, literally, as the struggle to cover the syllabus (sorry, course outline) rages and in these lean times (it’s always towards the end) of the semester, finding cash for photocopying is not only necessary but a basic need. That is unless if you don’t mind going to the “house on the hill” sometimes next year to explain why you should not go to become a Juakali mechanic apprentice.

 Not that I have anything against these ‘saviours’ of ours. Far from it, it provides seasonal employment for some- picture the photocopy guys bare-chested, spinning out papers in their hundreds in a bid to beat the traffic. 

 I once had a relative who was doing this long distance learning stuff. He used to get books from the library and full time students and only went to campus to sit his exams. I think the only difference between us in this last month is that I pay for some room in campus, period. 

 And why do we call them handouts? Possibly just being African in an era where handouts from Uncle Sam and friends have been thinly clothed as grants, partnership and a lot of other mumbo jumbo.

Maybe we should call them supplementary notes in this term conscious period (plus they definitely help in avoiding those supplementary papers).

 Forecast? It will rain handouts in the last month of the semester and despite our weather forecasters who seem to have a problem distinguishing sun and rain, this forecast is very dependable. Unless of course something changes and I will be just another forecaster who cannot tell head from tail.