BECE: Lagos urges Vetland School to maintain excellent performance record

The Lagos State Government has urged students of Vetland Junior Grammar School (VJGS) to sustain the school’s excellent performance record in the upcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination.

The Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Education District 1, Dr Olufunke Oyetola made the call at the Pep-Talk for the JSS3 students of the school.

Addressing the students at the exercise organized by the Parents Forum of the school, the TG/PS who was represented by the District’s Director of Schools and Administration, Mrs Maria Ojo charged the outgoing students to aim higher for best BECE results.

While commending the Parents Forum for the unique initiative, Ojo charged the students on the need to be resolute and deliberate in their preparation for the junior terminal examination.

She reiterated that with respect to the previous score analysis, VJGS has an excellent performance record, therefore, the present set must sustain the enviable legacy.

Prior to the presentation of the facilitators – who discussed the theme: “Know Your Strength” of the Pep-Talk, the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Taofik Salako noted that the exercise has the potential to bridge the gap, regarding the standard in public and private secondary schools.

Salako who is the Group Deputy Business Editor of The Nation Newspaper, pointed out that the key point to note by the students is their mindset – for them to know and understand themselves – interest and strength.

The Financial journalist asked the students to appreciate that there is no difference between them and students in private schools, stressing that with focus, they can excel in any department they choose to go to.

“Strive to give your best in whichever department you belong to. Under the tough economy, the professionals who are focused, creative and resolute will survive” Salako stressed.

One of the Facilitators who addressed the theme from the Commercial perspective, as well as spoke on the best way to prepare for examination, Dominion Esechie, coined three reading principles titled: “My Self Motivator”.

This according to him includes the first assertion: “I prepare at the level of my expectation” second, “I practise at the level of my preparation” and third, “I perform at the level of my practice”.

Esechie, who is the Chief Learning Officer, Innovative Network of Etiquette Teachers, in line with the principles urged the students to raise their expectation, which he affirmed would subsequently lead to effective preparation and best outcome, adding that “lack of discipline leads to missing target”.

Speaking properly on the theme, the motivational speaker posited that for students to unveil their strength, they must objectively answer the questions, including: “what do I enjoy doing, what do I enjoy talking about, what do I enjoy thinking about and what do I enjoy listening to or watching”?

Esechie identified four classes of Personalities, which he listed as: “Type A – Action-oriented people; Type B – People endowed with talking; Type C- People who love thinking and Type D – personalities who are cut out for Nursery and Primary school teaching.

The Etiquettes teacher affirmed that Commercial professionals give value to inventions by the scientists and creations by Arts practitioners.

Esechie said the Commercial experts have strength in good communication skills, possess financial intelligence and display practical life skills.

He added that they have potential to become bankers, entrepreneurs, financial analysts, accountants, stockbrokers, among others.

VJGS Principal and facilitator on Arts, Mrs Latunde-Dada A.M disclosed that factors to consider when choosing a career include: interest and passion, talents and abilities, academic strength, values and goals, as well as available opportunities.

The school’s Head established that the expected strength for aspiring Arts professionals include: Good communication skills, Leadership ability, self confidence, creativity, possession in power of imagination, being talented in reading and writing, among others.

She counselled Arts career aspirants to avoid inferiority complex, while showing boldness persistently.

Latunde-Dada faulted the notion that Arts students are lazy students and their fields are not as important as Science and Commercial departments.

She submitted: “Arts students are among the most influential people in the society because they take up roles in leadership, communication,education, law, culture, media, entertainment and human relationship.

“Let’s think about this, if there are no people in Humanities, the whole place will be so dull. Without arts professionals, society will not function properly.

“Our society needs people that can communicate ideas, solve social problems, defend or speak up for the defenseless, entertain human beings and even preserve our culture and values”.

She established that the Arts professionals provide services in the identified aspects of human life.

Apart from Law, Mass Communication, Linguistics, Public Relations and others, other emerging areas Arts professionals can fit in, she listed include: Content creation, Digital Marketing, Chartered Secretariat, Branding and Advertising and others.

Speaking from the Science perspective on the theme, Mrs Dorcas Ogundipe told the students that Senior Secondary School is the time they should discover more about themselves.

Ogundipe who is the Assistant Chief Education Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education advised the students that in building strength, they must focus on their comfort zones, while working on their weaknesses.

In addition, she advised students to seek their teachers and parents’ guidance, affirming that they could be instrumental in discovering their path and in navigating their journey to success.

Ogundipe who is also a Robotic Educator charged the students to discover their strengths prior to making choices about their future, cautioning that strength is beyond school subjects, but it encompasses good character.

In his closing remarks the Parents Forum Chairman, Tajudeen Balogun disclosed that the exercise was organized to inspire and motivate the students to be diligent and succeed in their upcoming examination.

Ultimately, Balogun, who is the Deputy Editor, The Eagleonline newspaper specified that PF plans to use the theme and session to spur the students on a good pedestal, such that the set emerges as the most “focused, precise and prepared” in the history of the schools.

PF Chair urged the students to ensure they have a specific take home out of many knowledge that have been imparted in them.

The exercise which was generally adjudged as a huge success was graced by the Principal of Vetland Senior Secondary School, Dr (Mrs) Maria Eko, who also tutored the students on how to discover their strengths; Chairperson of the senior school’s Parents Forum, Mrs Adeyemi Egburedi, VJGS executives and members of the Pep-Talk Planning Committee, as well as members of staff.