Education
Lagos, NGO Partner On Special Needs Education
The Lagos State Ministry of Education is collaborating with a non-governmental organisation, MINDS Reform Initiative, toward the development of Special Needs Education.
Both parties are collaborating on an inspiring movie, ÌTÌJÚ, with the rider “hope heals.”
The promoter of MINDS Reform Initiative, Mr Oladapo Akande, said this in a statement made available to The Tide source in Lagos, Friday.
He quoted the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Sade Adefisayo, as saying that the project highlighted “such an important issue that had largely remained under the radar.
“We look forward to exploring this relationship further — during and beyond this project, as the ministry appreciates the contribution it will certainly make towards the development of Special Needs Education in Lagos State.”
The title, ÌTÌJÚ, is a Yoruba word, which means a feeling of shame, and the movie sets out to remove the stigma attached to people living with various challenges.
According to Akande, the brain behind the movie, the suffocating culture discourages people from speaking up about their personal challenges.
“How will one find solutions to issues that one cannot talk about?”, he queried.
Akande said ÌTÌJÚ may be a Yoruba word but dealt with a Nigerian problem.
He said Dyslexia, the learning disorder, which made reading and writing herculean tasks, had been described by educationists as “the silent destroyer.”
According to him, it is said to be responsible for the high rate of school dropouts and the increasing number of juvenile crimes in the society.
“Interestingly, the disorder does not affect the sufferer’s intellect, as dyslexics are famed for their creativity and excellent problem solving abilities.
“Lack of awareness in our society has, however, led to dyslexics being labelled as dull and stupid as they struggle through school.
“Rejection by parents and the resultant low self esteem have been identified as major causes of mental health issues in society,” he said.
He explained that these manifest in different ways: from depression, drug and alcohol abuse, bipolar disorder and an alarming increase in suicide rates.
“Estimated to affect 10 per cent 15 per cent of the Nigerian population according to Ben Arikpo of Dyslexia Foundation (Nigeria), dyslexia is a massive problem ‘hidden from plain sight,’” he said.
Akande said though 90 per cent of teachers in Nigeria had never heard of dyslexia, not to talk of parents, the list of foreign household names that were known dyslexics was endless.
“Though not dyslexic myself, I was privileged to witness first hand, during my primary and secondary school days in the United Kingdom, how early diagnosis and timely intervention helped salvage the destiny and restored meaning to the lives of some of my dyslexic classmates.
“They, having received the attention at the right time, went on to succeed in their chosen professions.
“It is amazing what knowledge can do,” he said.
Akande is a two-time author and writer of the popular weekly newspaper column, Character matters with Daps.
His partner and fellow producer on the project, Roy Osuji of Alvary Studios and Alvary Creatives, is the producer of the early 2020 movie, Handicapped; a story that highlights the scourge of human trafficking.
Osuji said, “ÌTÌJÚ is our gift to the world during these crazy times where mental health is a big deal.
“It is an expression of hope for everyone going through rejection just because they’re having a hard time grasping the conventional ways of doing things.”
As part of giving back to society, the producers of the movie, MINDS Reform Initiative and Alvary Studios, have undertaken to show an abbreviated version of the movie for free at selected public schools in Lagos.
ÌTÌJÚ is billed to premier at the cinemas early in 2022.
The Executive Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Alabo David Briggs and his Post Primary Schools Board, counterpart, Dr. Sam Emejuru recently embarked on a joint visit to Model Girls Secondary School, Mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Arera of Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after interacting with the students, Alabo Briggs said both of them were in the school to know how the students are faring, how happy they are, and to also know their areas of need and then take pragmatic decisions that would enhance the wellbeing of the students.
Describing the school as the only boarding school in Rivers State made up of Senior and Junior Secondary, the UBE boss said the visit has actually afforded them the opportunity to know what is lacking in the school, and promised that every machinery would be adequately put in place to ensure that the school is made more attractive and students well taken care of.
He further maintained that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and staff of the school must rise to the occasion so as to bring back the lost glory of the school and ensure that the students are treated and well handled like their own children.
Corroborating the UBE boss, Dr. Sam Emejuru of the Post Primary School promised that everything possible would be done to reposition the school, and appealed to all concerned to be patient.
During the visit, the two Board chairmen and their members met with the school authorities wherein issues bordering on the school were discreetly ironed out and some good changes made.
Alabo Briggs also gave cash to some of the students that performed well in the essay competition that took place in Port Harcourt.
The students were also given cartons of sanitary pads to mark the International Day of the Girl Child which was celebrated all over the world recently.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) support programme on report writing for Chief Supervisors and Evaluators of the Local Government Areas took place recently at the UBE Board Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the participants, the Board member in charge of Supervision/Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha, described the programme as very interesting and educative as it is aimed at broadening the knowledge of the Chief Supervisors and Evaluators on report writing.
While thanking UBEC for the initiative, Chief Anucha also commended the resource persons who came from UBEC Abuja for doing a good job and appealed to the participants to see the support programme on report writing as an opportunity to do better.
Also speaking, the Board member, Project/Technical, Dr. Walson Ominini described the programme as a good one that all the participants must take seriously for the good of Rivers State.
Ominini used the medium to announce the personnel audit for staff of the Local Government Education Authorities in the three Senatorial zones coming up next week at the Board Headquarters adding that any staff of the LGEA who does not take part in the Audit should regard himself or herself as not being a staff of UBE.
In her vote of thanks, the Director, Quality Assurance, Mrs. Nnenna Osumenya thanked UBEC for the programme, and described it as a welcomed development.
She particularly thanked the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alabo David Briggs and the Board members for giving the programme the needed attention.
By: Akujobi Amadi
In cognizance of the value of reading in educational, career and knowledge pursuits, TotalEnergies Joint Venture(JV) Asset has committed itself to instilling the habit in students of secondary schools to enable them succeed in their academic pursuits and become good leaders of tommorow.
This, it is achieving through its Annual Book Reading and Open Day programme.
This year’s event, organised for Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State,with the theme, ‘The World Is A Maze; Navigate It — Read’ and held at the Event Centre, TotalEnergies Office, PortHarcourt, explored the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’ by Ghanaian author, Alex Agyei Agyiri.
Participating schools chosen across Port Harcourt included Government Technical College, PortHarcourt; Bishop Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Rumuobiakani; Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School; Community Secondary School, Rumuomasi, and Hilltop Prime International College.
Others were Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama; Government Senior Secondary School, Elekahia; Community Secondary School, Nkpogu; Dietams International Schools; and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
In his address, the Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, TotalEnergies EP, Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, said reading habit remains a major essential needed for life’s development in information, direction and character building, and stressed the need for the students, many of whom he said would grow to become leaders to cultivate and sustain the culture.
Cassassoles, who was represented by the Executive Director, JV Asset, PortHarcourt, Obi Imemba, quoted former American President, Barack Obama’s words, “reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” and stated that “this clearly aligns with the theme of the day and implies that in order to successfully navigate the complexities of life, one needs to read”.
Cassassoles said “as students, many of you will grow to be leaders and leaders need a lot of information to stay relevant. The books you read will shape your future and through them you will find wisdom to make a difference”.
According to him, the book reading event is one that the company holds dear to heart as it promotes the culture of reading among students in Nigeria.
While encouraging the students to make conscientious effort to research good books with themes and characters that align with what they intend to do in future, Cassassoles expressed the hope that the students would commit themselves to a life of reading, adding that “I expect that you will be leaving here with a clearer idea of the career path you want to pursue “.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, described this year’s theme as ‘most appropriate’ at a time when students have abandoned the text book for not only the phone – Whatsapp, Twitter etcetera but other vices.
Represented by the Technical Adviser to the Commissioner, Dr Joy Nwamaka Joseph, Chukwuma noted that reading is an effective tool for engaging students in critical thinking, saying “a student that reads focuses attention on the task at hand, immersing them in information and improving his/her concentration and memory”, insisting that students must read in order to navigate this maze-like world successfully.
The Commissioner commended TotalEnergies for “always seeking to improve the educational standards of our pupils, students, under/post graduates in our institutions and for inspiring them to develop the habit of reading as a life style”.
Earlier, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, revealed that the annual reading event is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeted at making the best of future leaders.
In his closing remarks, the Special Adviser, People and Talent Management, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Samuel Nkwo, lauded the students for going beyond reading the book to taking lessons there from.
“What has happened here today has given us encouragement that this is a good thing to do and that we should continue to do it” Nkwo said.
Highlights of the event included reading and discussion of the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’, questions and answers session and presentation of gift items including school bags, solar lamps, books among others to the students.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu