Schoolchildren are Nigeria’s true wealth, ex-commissioner

Schoolchildren are Nigeria’s true wealth, ex-commissioner

Former Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo. Photo: File copyFormer Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, has said Nigeria’s greatest treasure lies not in its oil reserves but in its children, stressing that teachers who nurture them deserve more recognition than the nation’s natural resources.

Adefisayo stated this at the 20th anniversary celebration of Grande Oakbridge Montessori School in Lagos.She said, “The treasure of Nigeria is not oil. The treasures of Nigeria are these children. Teachers deserve to be celebrated because, by teaching and training, they are equipping children with critical 21st-century skills. Schools are dramatic places parents come with their drama, regulators come with theirs but the most important thing is never to lose sight of educating children.”

She urged education leaders, parents and other stakeholders to play their roles in ensuring the holistic development of children.The Head of School, Mrs Oluchi Blessing Chinedum-Azuh, who has led the institution for 15 years, attributed her long stay to the strength of the school’s vision and its alignment with her own.“The longer you stay in a place that is thriving, the more offers you get in this business. But what has kept me here is the strength of the visionaries people who are willing to invest what it takes to ensure Nigeria’s future is prepared and secured.

Mr and Mrs Obalade’s vision is in tandem with mine. What better place to express myself than partnering with them?” she said.Chinedum-Azuh added that the school had produced globally recognised alumni. “Just this year, two of our children graduated with first-class degrees from a leading university in America. One of our former pupils also went on to win the Ecobank Chess Championship after first being exposed to chess here,” she noted.

A board member, Prof Grace Otinwa, recalled the school’s difficult beginnings, including financial struggles, low enrolment and even eviction by a landlord during school hours.

She said perseverance and vision had transformed the institution into “a great place of learning.”“To the glory of God, the proprietress persevered, and today Grande Oakbridge has grown into a great place of learning with very high-quality education, staff training and a rich British-Nigerian curriculum,” Otinwa said.

The anniversary event featured cultural displays and tributes, and ended with calls for parents, teachers and school leaders to continue preparing Nigerian children for the future through sacrifice, patience and values-based education.