End of First Term Circular to Parents/Guardians

MARIST COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMY UTURU, ABIA STATE END OF FIRST TERM CIRCULAR TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS (8TH DECEMBER 2012/2013 ACADEMIC SESSION)

Our Dear and Esteemed Parents, The first trimester of the 2012/2013 has come to an end. Through this medium we wish to thank you the parents/Guardians for your unflinching support for and immense contributions to our continued march forward. The children are being sent home for the Christmas holidays. As usual this season is characterized by noisy merriment, youthful exuberance and sometimes violence. Help us to control your ward(s) at this period. While they relax at home, we wish to draw your attention to the following areas for your necessary action:

1. APPRECIATION We thank you our dear parents for your interest in us and in ensuring that our annual harvest and bazaar though on a low key was successful. We are grateful to Lady Nwachukwu Onyinye who chaired the occasion and motivated others towards the success of the whole event. Thanks to all who donated generously both in material and cash. Some parents gave the school water dispensers and some gave television set. I use this medium again to appeal to your generous heart to donate those items listed on the midterm information to the parents.

2. RE OPENING OF SCHOOL The school’s reopening date for the second trimester is 5th January 2013. However, functionaries (prefects) will resume on the 4th January 2013. They will have a seminar on this same day, beginning from 18:30-23:00. Thereafter, roll call shall be taken and absentees will be penalised.

3. THE NEW CURRICULUM With the introduction of the new curriculum by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Marist schools have promptly gone into action arranging and planning to meet the interest of all stakeholders in line with the new curriculum. MCA has offered nineteen subjects to SS1 in the first term. This will reduce to fourteen in the second term. Of this number, five subjects are compulsory. Other subjects are grouped into: Sciences, Humanities, Business Studies and Technology. Students are required to choose from these groups according to interest and capabilities. Emphasis of the new curriculum is on practical skills acquisition, for its products to be job creators rather than job seekers. Please find time to discuss with your wards to choose well to avoid mistakes that may be difficult to correct later.

4. WORKING TOOLS FOR THE SENIOR CLASSES: many students in the senior classes (SS1-SS3) do not have materials for their studies. Please ensure that your children/wards purchase all the recommended text books and exercise books to promote hard work and reading/research culture in them. The Management and Staff will check them at the beginning of next term to ensure that students in the senior classes will present the following before being allowed into classes on resumption. (i) Functional Calculator; (ii) Logarithms figure table, (iii) Mathematical Set, (iv) Approved Graph book, (v) French Curve, (vi) New Concept Maths from the school (vii) Ruler Additionally, senior students offering Chemistry should get a copy of the book “Understanding Chemistry” by Godwin O OJukwu as well as recommended textbooks in Biology and Physics.

5. MOULDING THE STUDENTS’ CHARACTER Parents are requested to join hands with the teachers to mould the character of these children. Please find time to monitor and make sure  The type of friends they keep  The type of films or TV program they watch (with special attention and watch out against pornography)  Their prayer life. Parents should take this seriously. There is nothing embarrassing praying with the children. This moulds them a great deal.  That their wards participate in domestic chores and not leave the house help to do everything. This also forms part of the training they should receive.

6. SCHOOL BARBING SALOON: the school now has a barbing saloon to avoid students going out for their hair cuts. Students using personal clipper are requested to bring it and submit to the Dean of Students’ Affairs for their use when need arises. Please, no student is allowed to nurture or keep hair in M.C.A. In addition, each student should pay N300 cash for haircuts at the check in point.

7. COLLECTION OF 1ST TRIMESTER RESULTS: all results will be checked online. The programme for online result is installed and computation is in progress. Your child has been issued a scratch card with an online number, with which he/she will check his /her result in the internet from 19th December, 2012. The process of checking the result is as follows:  Log onto the website: www.mcauturu.com  Enter the scratch card pin number  Enter the online result number  Click log in  The computer will generate your class and your name for confirmation  Confirm and check your result. NOTE: Your child’s online result number is...... (Each student to fill his/her online result number as directed by his/her form teacher).

8. PTA ZONAL MEETING: Parents are encouraged to attend the PTA zonal meetings in their respective zones. The clearance cards will be strictly checked during resumption and defaulters will be sent back to clear from their zones. The Port Harcourt zonal meeting will hold on 15th December 2012. 9. VISITING DAYS AND FOOD/FRUITS: While respecting and observing the normal visiting days, we want parents to prepare a simple meal (rice) only for their children. Anything outside these will not be tolerated. It is important to note that NO COOKED FOOD will be allowed into our hostels. Let your ward eat whatever you come with on visiting days and the leftover be taken back with you. There will be no visiting on the 6th January, 2013.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT PAYMENT OF SECOND TERM FEES (2012/13 SESSION) (a) Boarding fees N45, 000 (b) Tuition fees N25, 000 OTHER FEES N 1. Emergency fees 2,000 2. Health Insurance 2,000 3. Snacks 8,000 4. Generator/Electricity 2,000 5. Maintenance 1,000 6. Staff welfare 250 7. Sport fees 1,000 8. Library fees 1,000 9. Laboratory 500 10. Religious Service 1,000 11. Exams 2,000 12. Water 2,000 13. Internet 2,000 14. Entrepreneurship 2,000 15. Computer fee 2,000 TOTAL N 28, 750 PTA LEVIES: N (i) PTA Project 3,000 (ii) PTA Computer fund 150 (iii) PTA Mosquito Net fund 100 (iv) PTA Excellence fund 50 TOTAL N 3,300 GRAND TOTAL N 102, 050

POCKET MONEY: parents are encouraged to deposit enough money for their ward(s) in the bursary account for their immediate needs. All pocket money should be paid cash at the resumption day. Be informed that UB 1, UB 2 and SS 1 students are paying for T.D board; some of them have paid but not fully while many more haven’t paid at all because they have no money in their pocket money account.

SECOND TERM FEES PAYABLE BY DAY STUDENTS IS AS FOLLOWS; (i) Tuition fees N25, 000 (ii) Other fees N27, 050 (iii) PTA levies N 3, 300 TOTAL N 55, 350 SECOND TERM FEES PAYABLE BY UB 3 STUDENTS IS AS FOLLOWS: BOARDERS (i) Boarding/Tuition fees N98,750 (iv) PTA Levies N 3,300 (v) BECE/preparatory Test N 15,000 TOTAL N 117, 050

DAY STUDENTS, UB 3 (i) Tuition fee/other fees N52,050 (iv) PTA Levies N 3,300 (v) BECE/Preparatory Test N15,000 TOTAL N 70,350

2ND TERM SCHOOL FEES PAYABLE BY SS 3 STUDENTS Students in SS3 are paying combine fees of 2nd and 3rd terms together in the second trimester. Therefore, N102, 050 for a term multiply by two is equal to N204, 100. The above total amount is made in draft and payable to: Marist Schools Account. The name of the student, his/her ID number and the name of his/her school shall be written on the back of the draft. N/B: Remember to pay 500 naira for the scratch card, and another N500 for solidarity on trust (Mass for the poor). Please, parents not accompanying their children to school are requested to give them the requirements mentioned to avoid check in difficulties. In summary, the following should be paid in cash:  Scratch Card N500  Solidarity on trust N500  Haircuts N300 TOTAL: N1, 300

Payments in Bank Draft to Marist Schools Account are as follow:  Second term fees, Boarders (except UB 3 & SS 3): N102, 050.  Second term fees, Day students (except UB 3): N55, 350.  Second term fees, UB 3 Boarding students only: N117, 050.  Second term fees, UB 3 Day students only: N70, 350.  Second/third terms fees, SS 3 students only: N204,100. Purchase your Bank Draft from any of the following Banks: 1. First Bank PLC 2. Zenith Bank PLC 3. Oceanic Bank PLC 4. Fidelity Bank PLC 5. ECO Bank PLC 6. Bank PHB

Finally, we thank God for His protection on us. We pray to God to provide for you so that you can continue to provide for your children. I wish you happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Rev. Br. Mark Okolo Omede, (fms) Principal