Preparing children for the dynamic global society in the 21st century through effective leadership training is one of the core focus of the Olashore International School.
A couple of years ago, some students of Olashore International School were on a mission to help the less privileged in their immediate environment after a visit to a home at Iloko Ijesa, Osun State, Nigeria. They came up with a grand plan to help raise money to purchase toys for children at the home they visited. And so, on one of the school’s visiting days, they organised to wash cars of parents who were in the school to visit their children for a fee. Before long, they had enough money to buy the toys.
Preparing children for the dynamic global society in the 21st century through effective leadership training is one of the core focus of the Olashore International School.
Derek Smith, principal, Olashore International School, says at a media conference on Tuesday in Lagos, that most schools lay emphasis on music and the arts generally but at Olashore school the emphasis is on leadership and building a total child for the 21st century.
“The school has produced graduates who we have taught what it takes to be a leader. We have designed bespoke leadership programme based on social change. This style of leadership was first designed in the 20th century.”
According to him, leadership is concerned about effecting positive change. It is collaborative. “We teach our students that you cannot make change on your own. It is a process not a position. It is value based. It is about honesty, integrity, and service. We see all our students as potential leaders.”
In addition, he argues that social base leadership is not something you teach but learn. “We have structured the programme to be practical with workshops run by students. It is a self-sustaining programme as older students teach the younger ones.”
For Smith, the essence of social leadership is to groom a student that will be a global citizen. “We have identified the critical skills needed in the 21st century. Critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and communication, creativity and imagination, global citizenship, digital literacy, student leadership and personal development; all these skills are incorporated into our curriculum at Olashore School.”
Also speaking at the briefing, Prince Abimbola Olsahore, chairman, board of governors, Olashore International School, says the economic slowdown offers an opportunity for parents to look inwards and take advantage of schools like Olashore, that offer the quality of education they are seeking abroad.
“We must begin to think of how to diversify the economy. If we have acquired a taste for foreign goods, we must change our taste and look more inwards. We are producing students that are comparable to standards obtainable in the world. We have a school to global standards and we are maintaining that standard.”
He further says Nigeria can no longer afford to spend just four percent of its Gross Domestic Product on education. He says Nigeria needs to follow the footsteps of South Korea that invested heavily in education in the 1960s.
“We can’t turn a blind eye to education because the strength of the country is in our people. How much is government investing in education for the future? Olashore is keying into the dream to produce children that will compete globally. It is all about educating the total child.”
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