Lagos Charges Students to Aim for Best BECE Results
- Lagos State government urged Vetland Junior Grammar School students to excel in the upcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination
- Experts emphasised the importance of self-discovery, focus, and discipline for students' academic success
- VJGS' recent event inspired students by showcasing the value of arts and communication in modern careers
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering education in Nigeria and Africa.
Ikeja, Lagos State - The Lagos State government has urged students of Vetland Junior Grammar School (VJGS) to sustain the school’s impressive performance in the upcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to a statement made available to Legit.ng on Monday, June 8, the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Education District I, Dr Olufunke Oyetola, made the call during a pep talk organised for the school’s JSS3 students.
Source: Original
Speaking through the district’s Director of Schools Administration, Mrs Maria Ojo, at the event organised by the school’s Parents Forum, Oyetola encouraged the outgoing students to strive for outstanding results in the BECE.
She commended the Parents Forum for the initiative and urged the students to remain focused and intentional in their preparation for the examination.
Ojo noted that VJGS had maintained an excellent academic record over the years and stressed the need for the current set of students to uphold the school’s enviable legacy.
Salako inspires VJGS students
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Taofik Salako, said the exercise could help bridge the gap between public and private secondary schools.
Salako, who is the Group Deputy Business Editor of The Nation newspaper, urged the students to understand their interests and strengths, stressing that mindset plays a major role in achieving success.
He told the students that they were not inferior to their counterparts in private schools, adding that focus and determination could help them excel in any field.
He said:
“Strive to give your best in whichever field you belong to. In today’s tough economy, professionals who are focused, creative and resilient will thrive."
Esechie unveils students’ success principles
One of the facilitators, Dominion Esechie, who spoke from the commercial perspective and also advised the students on examination preparation, introduced three reading principles titled “My Self Motivator.”
According to him, the principles are: “I prepare at the level of my expectation,” “I practise at the level of my preparation,” and “I perform at the level of my practice.”
Esechie, the Chief Learning Officer of Innovative Network of Etiquette Teachers, urged the students to raise their expectations, noting that higher expectations would lead to better preparation and improved performance.
He added that lack of discipline often results in failure to meet targets.
Speaking on the theme, 'Know Your Strength', Esechie advised the students to identify what they enjoy doing, talking about, thinking about, and listening to in order to discover their strengths.
He identified four personality types as Type A – action-oriented people; Type B – people gifted in communication; Type C – analytical thinkers; and Type D – individuals suited for nursery and primary school teaching.
According to him, professionals in the commercial field add value to inventions by scientists and creations by arts practitioners through strong communication skills, financial intelligence and practical life skills.
He added that such individuals could build careers as bankers, entrepreneurs, financial analysts, accountants and stockbrokers, among others.
'Arts professionals shape modern society'
The Principal of VJGS and facilitator on Arts, Mrs A.M. Latunde-Dada, said students should consider factors such as passion, talents, academic strengths, values and opportunities when choosing careers.
She noted that arts professionals require strong communication skills, leadership ability, confidence, creativity and imagination, as well as reading and writing skills.
Latunde-Dada urged students interested in arts-related careers to avoid inferiority complex and remain confident in their abilities.
She dismissed the notion that arts students are lazy or less important than science and commercial students.
She said:
“Arts students are among the most influential people in society because they take up roles in leadership, communication, education, law, culture, media, entertainment and human relations."
She added that society would not function effectively without arts professionals who communicate ideas, solve social problems, defend the vulnerable, entertain people and preserve culture and values.
According to her, emerging opportunities for arts professionals include content creation, digital marketing, branding, advertising and chartered secretariat practice, in addition to traditional careers such as law, mass communication, linguistics and public relations.
Ogundipe advises students on self-discovery
Speaking from the science perspective, Mrs Dorcas Ogundipe told the students that senior secondary school was a crucial stage for self-discovery.
Ogundipe, an Assistant Chief Education Officer in the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, advised the students to build on their strengths while improving on their weaknesses.
She also urged them to seek guidance from teachers and parents, noting that such support could help them navigate their path to success.
The robotic educator stressed that strengths go beyond academic performance and include good character.
Balogun encourages students to be determined
In his closing remarks, the Chairman of the Parents Forum, Tajudeen Balogun, said the programme was organised to inspire and motivate the students ahead of their examination.
Balogun, who is also the Deputy Editor of The Eagle Online newspaper, said the forum hoped the session would help the students become the most focused, prepared and determined set in the school’s history.
He urged the students to apply the lessons learnt during the session.
The event, which participants described as successful, was attended by the Principal of Vetland Senior Secondary School, Dr Maria Eko, who also spoke on discovering strengths; the Chairperson of the senior school’s Parents Forum, Mrs Adeyemi Egburedi; members of the VJGS executive and staff; as well as members of the pep talk planning committee.
Source: Legit.ng
