BY DAYO ADESULU
As part of efforts to help pupils succeed as they transition into secondary school education, Bridge Nigeria organized a special orientation event to educate the 2020/2021 graduation pupils on the changes that come with being in secondary school and shared insights on the qualities needed to succeed as they transition through the learning continuum.
The Orientation event tagged “Leaving for Secondary School: Developing Self Responsibility, Character and Excellence”, helps prepare Bridge pupils for the expected experiences in secondary school. The session exposed the children to the inevitable changes and experiences that would occur when they get to secondary schools, like change in the teaching methodology and learning environment, physical development, social, peer and cultural pressure, social vices and misdemeanour, meeting people from diverse backgrounds and making new friends.
According to the facilitator at the event held for Bridge pupils in Ikorodu, Mrs Amina Lawal said transitioning into secondary schools often comes with challenges and changes for all children; hence, the need for adaptability and independence of our pupils proceeding to board facilities of the Federal Government Colleges and private secondary schools, and those leaving for largely populated state-owned schools.
Lawal urged the pupils to remember that changes are part of life and that the ability to prepare for changes in life gives them an edge over others who may not be prepared. She emphasized the need for pupils to be self-reliant and take self-responsibility as they would have less monitoring by parents, teachers and other adults. She added that the characteristics of resilience and ‘a can-do spirit’ are required to keep focus amidst several distractions and peer pressure in secondary school. “As much as self-responsibility is required, a needed characteristic for success is interdependence: being able to work with others to achieve a set goal without being exposed to wrong influences.” She noted.
The overall best pupil in the 2019/2020 academic year, Shiji Sowemimo was a special guest at the event, Sowemimo who is currently in JSS one recounted how the learnings and experiences at Bridge have propelled him to continue to excel and break boundaries even in his secondary school. He urged all Bridge pupils to continue to be worthy ambassadors of Bridge as they continue their academic pursuit and encouraged them to remain focused, dream big, be resourceful, plan to succeed and never get tired of making a difference. “I am privileged to stand before you to share my experiences and successes with you, this is only possible because of the support I have received from my mother, teachers and level of hard work and dedication I have put into my studies” He added.
Bridge Nigeria is a network of nursery and primary schools in underserved communities in Lagos and Osun State, creating equal opportunity and equal learning benefits for all children for children to grow. Opened in 2015, Bridge has recorded impressive results in the Nigerian national exams, now over consecutive years, providing further evidence that Bridge provides a strong education to children in Nigeria.
