The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB)’s Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EKOEXCEL) has trained parents and guardians, particularly those with children in Primary Six, on how to prepare for their transition to secondary schools.
EKOEXCEL introduced the Primary Six counselling initiative at the just-ended Parent Teachers Conference across all the 1012 public primary schools in Lagos.
Part of EKOEXCEL’s effort to continue delivering life-changing education for all pupils, it also helped parents and guardians decide early about the education pathway for their children and wards.
The EKOEXCEL technical support team, alongside teachers, explained why parents needed to be well informed about available secondary schools and how EKOEXCEL prepares pupils for life and learning at the higher school at the conference.
Parents were also informed of their children’s five main secondary school options, the requirements for each and assessing the pupils’ academic ability.
The five main options shared with parents at the forum were federal unity colleges, Lagos State model colleges, Lagos State community schools, military secondary schools and private secondary schools.
The facilitators also enlightened parents on specific examinations that qualify students for each secondary school, including the Lagos State Placement Test (LSPT), Lagos State Screening Test (LSST) for model colleges, National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for federal unity schools, and military and private school examinations.
Highlighting how EKOEXCEL aids the preparations of Year Sic pupils, LASUBEB Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, said the initiative has “Common Entrance prep lessons which are delivered via teachers’ computers daily. These lessons mirror the expectations of the different kinds of examinations required for any education pathway.”
He added that “EKOEXCEL also conducts a Unified Mock Common Entrance Examination from the third term of Primary Five.
This means that a Primary Six child would have had several examination opportunities to practice before the actual examination in primary six. EKOEXCEL bridges literacy and numeracy gaps by delivering supplementary lessons so that all children with foundational issues can resolve those gaps, read adequately and be prepared for secondary school success.”
Parents, who attended the conference hailed EKOEXCEL for the Primary Six Post-primary Counselling initiative, noting that it was informative and would assist them in making good choices for their children. They also shared their expectations for their children.
One Mrs Modupe Omotayo, who has two children at CMS Primary School, Bariga, said, “the session was very informative. I expect my children to perform excellently, and they should come out with flying colours in their external exams.”
Mr Sunday Taiwo, who has five children in the same school, said, “the conference was okay. It helped me pick the type of school my child would attend. I must also commend the EKOEXCEL method for teaching my children.
Another parent, Mrs Uchechi Obinwa, whose two children attend Deacon Adelaja Primary School, Bariga, said she learnt how to process the school of her choice and expects her children’s performance to improve with Lagos state’s introduction of EKOEXCEL.
“The conference was exciting and, at the same time, educating. Now, I expect my children to come out with flying colours in their common entrance examination,” said Mr Mohammed Ndababa, whose children attend CMS Primary School Bariga. He added that “EKOEXCEL has increased my children’s IQ.”
Since its inauguration in 2019 by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, EKOEXCEL, operated by LASUBEB with technical support from the global edtech platform, New Globe, has increased learning gains among Lagos pupils and upskilled over 90 per cent of Lagos State primary teachers.
This article appeared originally on The Guardian, Dec 30, 2022.
