Our 60th year of independence has been an eventful one with dramatic changes. The educational sector in Nigeria, like elsewhere in the world, was disrupted in an unprecedented way, with schools either closing or migrating to online teaching and learning.
LPSS along with many other private schools in Nigeria rose to the challenge and we have experienced a significant positive shift in the way students are educated. For public schools with fewer resources and many without a technology infrastructure, state governments became creative in delivering teaching remotely via television and radio programming. It is clear that our country has been presented with the opportunity to change education for the better. This is a great way to celebrate a landmark birthday in Nigeria by reinventing education to make it fit for the digital revolution and the future of work, and accessible to all.
Year 5 students at Lagos Preparatory & Secondary School shared their views on how the changes in 2020 affected their learning and interestingly, it has become evident that they now see that education goes beyond the classroom. General life and practical skills have become just as important as formal education.
“I have more time to think about life. I’ve become calmer, gentler and sometimes, a little emotional about what’s happening right now in the world. I have time to write comics and books and work on computer programs, my own YouTube channel and so much more.”-Adefemi
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“Remote learning is a little bit better than normal school because in a normal school, there is a lot of noise in class and people distract you when you are trying to focus. I now know how to vacuum my room and clean my bathroom.”-Adeoluwa
“I can spend more time with family and stay home more often’’– Olohireime
“I have actually done and learnt really fun things. I started learning how to cook and bake (I even made an apple crumble); I learnt how to ride my bike without training wheels; I learnt how to speak a bit of Spanish and some more French because of my cousins (Aprendí a hablarespañol and J’aiappris à parlerfrançais) and I decided that since I cannot be on YouTube or TikTok, I would make my own videos(even though I am not actually going to post them).– Anjolaoluwa
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“I am now faster at typing than before because at school we do a lot of things that require me to type. –Olaedo
“I have learnt how to sew and try new styles with my hair. This also means I can improve on my art and my dancing. I have self-taught myself to dance and I am also having online sessions with my ice skating teacher.”- Katayun
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“I could never draw anything good before but now I can and I have made 2 books. I am making the third one but I haven’t published any. I am also spending my time Cycling and Reading. Before I would never read and now I read at least 4 hours every school day.”-Tomiwa
It has also been interesting to hear students develop their critical thinking and consider the political and societal effects decisions on society.
“I also don’t like the fact the airports were not closed so one person came to Lagos and started spreading it and now school is closed and I can’t go and see my friends.”-Amelia
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LPSS is proud of our students and how far they have come this year and we hope that the changes Nigeria has experienced this year in education will lead to a quality of future graduates from every part of the country who will positively shape all aspects of our society in the coming decades.
Happy Diamond Anniversary Nigeria!