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How to spot good schools – Proprietors and parents highlight signs to check

PICKING the right school for your child has a lot to do with the child’s future.  As a new academic session kicks off in a couple of weeks, we spoke to parents and school owners on the choice of schools children should attend and facilities such schools should have as well.

 

MRS. ADEJIMI, The Streams of Life School

What are the necessary facilities a good school must have?

It depends on your knowledge of what it entails.  But I will say, the school must have good staffers who are friendly both to children and parents.  They must have a good curriculum.  The environment must be neat and conducive for learning.  The child must be free to play around in such an environment.  The classroom must be well ventilated.  It is not about the big building.  Some big schools are doing nothing.  Children just eat and go home.

Are there other special things to put in place?

Play things and side attractions.

Does the size and school fees determine how good a school is?

In our contemporary world, people who are wealthy want to take their children to expensive schools that are good.  Some schools just want their pupils to feel good.  Most of them are not professionals, the school owners just have money and decided to set up a school.  Ask for their qualifications, they don’t have.  So, it varies.  A big and attractive school, charging huge amount does not mean the school is good or of high standard.  There are smaller schools that are better with good academic standard.

 

  1. FRANCIS OLABISI, Braingate Model School

What are the necessary facilities a good school must have?

Serene and conducive classrooms with academically qualified and professional teachers.  Magnetic slate to arouse interest to learn.  A playground, some indoor sporting materials and good structure is important as well.

Are there other special things to put in place?

Maybe, side attraction, most especially for the nursery pupils, toys for children, etc.

Does the size and school fees determine how good a school is?

The fees of a school does not and can never be the yardstick for standard.  Unfortunately, this is the booby trap to which many parents fall. It takes literate and discerning parents to know this.  Have you heard of quality and affordable education?  It is a revolution that can bail unsuspecting parents from being victims of school owners taking advantage of their preconceived and erroneous notion that the costlier the better.  Most times parents are conned.

If you say status symbol, I agree but not in terms of standard.  Parents with such notion only judge the quality of a book by its cover.  Fees must be moderate in a particular environment, strengthened and sustained by qualified teachers whose income answers to the clime and delivery of potentials.  This is to avoid paying peanuts and keeping monkeys as teachers.  So, it is relative.  But the bottomline is that, the costlier the better is a ruse.

 

  1. OREOFE, Samuel Blossom Children School

What are the necessary facilities a good school must have?

A conducive learning environment and qualified teachers.  A government approved school.  Apart from qualifications, the teachers must be friendly, have a positive approach to life, positive words and good curriculum.

Are there other special things to put in place?

Good means of transportation for the pupils, good playground, DVD and educative CDs.  Good computer laboratory and a good music class.  Why I said laboratory and music class for primary schools is because most schools will only teach the theory, ask a pupil to point at what they are being taught on a computer.  They wouldn’t be able to do that.

Does the size and school fees determine how good a school is?

I don’t quite agree with that, standard is not by building and money, no.  Though, a school should be colourful, attractive. But you cannot judge the content of a book by its cover.  The external examination result, the moral values a child exhibits will tell if such went to a standard school or not.

 

  1. OLUSOLA AKANNI, Parent

What are the things you look out for when picking a school for your child?

The first thing is the antecedent of the school in terms of educational standard and moral values.  The structure of the school, the fees too and most important, it has to be government approved.

What are the things that can put you off about a school?

Some teachers are dirty and carefree.  Some school environment can also be dirty.

 

MRS. ESTHER JOSHUA, Parent

What are the things you look out for when picking a school for your child?

I will ask to see the principal and the proprietor.  I will go through the curriculum.  I will check the textbooks they use in the school.  I will consider the religious standing of the owner of the school. I was once a teacher, all these things are important to me.

What are the things that can put you off about a school?

The type of environment, some schools don’t have good toilets.  Overcrowding pupils in a class is not encouraging.

 

MRS. KEMI NEGEDU, Parent

What are the things you look out for when picking a school for your child?

The environment, the teachers, the academic standard.  I must interact with my child’s teacher. Some teachers don’t have good words at all, their language is filthy.  I will like to know if the teachers are well paid because some disturb parents for this or that, let me call it ‘fine begging’.  I encourage my child’s teacher once a while, but some will still ask for money.  I will put into consideration the school fees and proximity to our house.

What are the things that can put you off about a school?

Dirty environment and untidy teachers. Teachers with foul language.  A teacher that beats too much, there are other modest ways of correcting children than unnecessarily beating them.

 

HIGHLIGHT OF SIGNS TO CHECK

1 Good and conducive classrooms, play areas and facilities

 

2 Qualified and friendly teachers who are well paid

 

3  Government approved

 

4  Good curriculum

 

5  History of good results

 

6  High moral standards

 

7 Fees commensurate to facilities and results.

Encomium

Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

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