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SchoolRoomM A G A Z I N E Virtual Learning Edition, 2026 The Virtual Learning Edition (Repackaged) A publication of Resourcitate Global Associates Ltd Nigeria’s Foremost Basic Education Sector Publication
CONTENTS Contributors Mr. Muhammed Ali Joan Mbabazi Arc Bimbo Funsho Ndifreke Okpo Dr Trix Mrs. Oyewumi Eniola Ms. Onuche Theresa Ebere Photographers Kehinde John Oluwagbotemi Ayomide SchoolRoom M a g a z i n e Editorial resourcitateschoolroom@gmail.com +234 (0) 8032529999 Advertising resourcitate@gmail.com This Edition • Parenting - 4 • The Proprietress's Voice - 15 • Teacher's Hive - 7 • Education Technology - 9 • School Health - 13 • Book Review – 10 & 11 • Education Veteran - 19 5 4 SchoolRoom Magazine 2 15 17 19
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR We at SchoolRoom are happy you took out time to read our Virtual Learning Edition. With this year advancing with speed, we feel this is the right time to talk about the Virtual Learning culture that have become a part of our lives and seems from all indications, have come to stay. Over the past recent years, we have observed many of our partner schools and it is very clear to us that virtual learning is not going away anytime soon especially with the presence of artificial intelligence. Our School Health for this edition is Vision and Learning, which dealt with the impact of visual learning on the vision of our young learners and approaches we can adopt to help young learners overcome the threats of having eye defects. Our main feature for this edition is Visual Learning Focus, with the spotlight on different virtual learning tools alongside some insights on the changes and innovations that can be adopted by educators. As with all our editions, it is our hope that all our readers gain a good amount of knowledge that can enhance their personal development and productivity. Enjoy the edition. JULIET OKPO MAIN EDITOR Editorial resourcitateschoolroom@gmail.com Cover: Courtesy of https://www.paragoninc.com/ 3
Parent/Teacher Relationship for Effective Virtual Learning Parenting Parents are a vital link between the student’s home and their schools. A student’s academic achievement and success can be increased when parents are partners of the school learning process. This is because they support their learning at home and can influence a child’s attitude about learning. Teachers oftentimes desire to have the parents of their students as allies/partners rather than adversaries. This is evident in their calls to parents about the pupil’s behaviors. A recent observation of the students’ actions and reactions in the class enquiries about the students if for example, the child does not show up in class or take ill. The need for parent/teacher partnership can also be seen in the way the teachers give homework to the students with the silent hope that the parents will supervise the children with their homework. With careful observation, we can see several indicators of teachers need to collaborate with parents, in the learning process. However, this seems to be a difficult feat to attain due to pressures on parents and teachers themselves. There is the issue of lack of faith in our education system due to the falling education standards, the overwhelming concerns about the safety of the students. These and many other factors are influencing the collaboration relationship between parents and teachers. While teachers see parents as people who complain about fees, school uniforms, their children's grades, their children’s welfare in the class etc. Parents on the other hand, see themselves as consumers in a business transaction and therefore question the quality of education that their children are receiving. Effective Ways to Foster Good Parent/Teacher relationship This school year amidst Covid-19 have brought many challenges for teachers, students and parents. There is the need to put adequate strategies in place to help foster a healthy parent/teacher relationship for the benefit of a successful virtual learning experience. a) Healthy Communication We have come to realize that among all other forms of Parent/Teacher involvement, communication is the foundation. A positive parent/teacher communication is of immerse benefit to parents. The quality of parent/teacher relationship that is achieved in the communication process is dependent on the manner in which the teachers communicates and interacts with the parents. It has been observed that most teachers do not contact parents unless there is a problem with either the student or a lapse on the part of the parent. While it is important to let parents know about students’ performance and conduct when it is bad, this should not be the major or only reason the teachers communicate with parents. Parents respond positively if the teacher shows that they genuinely care about their children. b) Initiate a Surprise for Parents Teachers can contact parents through an appropriate mean, telling them how well their wards are faring in school. Teachers can also inform parents when their children overcomes a learning or behavioral difficulty. This positive information have the ability to make a parent feel that the school is actually helping their children. Another major benefit is the enhancement of the relationship between the teacher and the parent. Furthermore, parents would feel motivated to be involved in their ward’s learning. c) Co-operation and involvement of Parents Parents are advised to be open and keep the communication with teachers vibrant for the benefit of their children. Making the effort to get relevant information about your ward from the school can better equip parents to help their children. This can open the eyes of parents to see the very important role they play in their children’s learning. There is good evidence overtime; the parents' involvement in their children’s learning have produced increased motivation for the children, better behavior, good work ethics towards homework and school. In order to communicate with teachers and schools effectively, parents should endeavor to: ✓ Treat their children’s teachers with dignity and respect, with the major focus being to work together in the pursuit of what is best for the child ✓ Attend parents/teacher meetings or conferences regularly ✓ Be members of parent/teacher councils ✓ Go through any monthly or weekly progress report of their children sent home. Parents can even request that one should be sent regularly ✓ Make phone calls to the teachers when appropriate ✓ Send civil emails or messages to the schools ✓ Visit the school’s website for any recent updates When parents cooperate and communicate effectively with teachers, the teachers can focus more on the task of teaching the children. Teachers also get to know more about the needs of the students and the best way to help the students achieve academically. - by Juliet Okpo SchoolRoom Magazine 4
REGIONAL REVIEW AKWA IBOM EDUCATION REVIEW Akwa Ibom State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered on the east by Cross River State, on the west by Rivers State and Abia State, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean. The state takes its name from the Kwa Ibo River which bisects the state before flowing into the Bight of Bonny. Akwa Ibom was split from Cross River State in 1987 with her capital Uyo and with 31 local government areas. The State is bounded on the East by Rivers State, on the West by Cross River State, on the North by Abia State and on the South by the Gulf of Guinea. Akwa Ibom State currently covers a total land area of 7,249 square kilometers. In terms of landmass, it is the 10th largest state in Nigeria. The people of Akwa Ibom State are culturally homogenous and are reputed to be the first settlers in the present-day Southeastern Nigeria. The three major dialectal groups are Ibibio, Annang and Oron. Other subgroups include Eket, Ibeno, Itu Mbonuso and the Andonis. English is the language used for government and business. Akwa Ibom is very tropical with a dominant vegetation of green foliage of trees and shrubs. It has three distinct vegetation zones: the saline water swamp forest, the freshwater swamp forest and the rain forest. It constitutes a major chunk of the nation’s oil-palm belt. The Atlantic coastline stretches 129km from Oron in the East to Ikot Abasi in the West. SchoolRoom Magazine 5
Tuition in Akwa Ibom State is free up until secondary, compulsory and qualitative. In addition to free tuition, the state pays a subvention of N100 per primary school pupil and N300 per secondary school student to cater for logistics. To add quality to the free and compulsory tuition, Government has also created a more conducive learning environment through massive rehabilitation and reconstruction of school's blocks, provision of science and laboratory equipment, construction of hostels and supply of desks in schools throughout the state. As a way to ensure that final year secondary school students are not able to take their examinations due to lack of money, the government undertakes payment of SSCE fees for all students in public secondary schools. This also includes payment of NABTEB fees for all students in public technical colleges. Students still pay what is called intervention fee, which is ranging from N500 to N6000. The students also pay for uniforms. Recently, the Government of Akwa Ibom state have created a School on Radio programme. The School on Radio initiative, designed primarily for students preparing for the Junior and Senior Secondary School final examinations, is a welcomed development for parents and students alike. The School on Radio has a wide reach, which allows students, even in the remotest parts of the state to benefit with engagements and assignments in different subjects. Culled from: https://akwaibomstate.gov.ng Akwa Ibom State Anthem STANZA 1 Let us rise, Akwa Ibom State To the faith of greatness O Akwa Abasi’bom Let our dreams be over one Rise beyond ethnicity Build with Love, our promised land Forward ever! Backward never! Serve the land with unity and love STANZA 2 God of mercy, hear our plea Make our land, a place to be Let the warlike sheathe his sword Still all vices in our land Grant your rule O prince of peace That our state may ever be Peaceful ever, warring never Let your will O God forever reign. - written by Dr Eberedem Iwok SchoolRoom Magazine 6
TEACHER’S HIVE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN SCHOOLS A Juvenile is a young person. A young person for clarity in this context is anybody between the ages of 0 months – 17 years. Delinquency on the other hand means wrongdoing. Juvenile Delinquency thus connotes wrongdoing by young persons or people. Juvenile Delinquency is a great cancer worm which has eaten deep into the very fabrics of Nigerian children. The menace of Juvenile Delinquency lingers every day in our society today. The question is this, who is to be blamed for Juvenile Delinquency? Is it the Parents? Teachers? Guardians? And what have you. Well in my own understanding I belong to the school of taught who maintains that a child is made or marred by the parents. The actions or inaction of the children tells more about the home they come from. The family as the primary agent of socialization have a vital role to play towards the character formation of the child. A lot of societal ills portrayed by the minors today goes down to have their origins from the home where parents failed to do their work. Today in Nigeria, some ugly stories make headlines in our dailies and trend on social media about crimes committed by the minors. You hear such stories as boy 13 stabs mother to death, girl 11 commits suicide, girl 16 stabs sister to death to mention but a few. A question that requires an answer here is how did we get here today in Nigeria? Like the popular Igbo adage says is it that the barber doesn’t know how to barb or that the clipper is blunt? No wonder why the scripture says, train up a child the way he should grow, and he would not depart from it. SchoolRoom Magazine 7
TEACHER’S HIVE The most recent ugly head of Juvenile Delinquency in Nigeria today is the fire incident that gulfed down the popular Ebeano Supermarket in Abuja, Nigeria. The perpetuator of this nefarious act came out to be a minor of 9 years whose name was withheld by the media though the video of her crime went viral revealing her picture. Many a times, parents over pamper their wards with the aim of being very lovable and caring to them. When children commit certain crime at home, the parents cover them up and fail to correct them. Most of the parents even go to the level of having intimacy before the very presence of their children in one room apartment. Parents listen to this and listen well, God has given us self-control as human beings. Once a child is born, the child starts learning everything that happens around him from day one. You may be thinking that the child is sleeping so you can quickly have your way, but you lie, you never can tell the third eye watching you and even the silent ear listening to your sound. Most of our minors today rape and gangrape young girls all in the name of youthful exorbitance. The reason for this also goes down to drug addiction and cultism as well as bad company, tell me who you go with, and I tell you who you are. REASONS OR CAUSES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 1. Cultism 2. Poor parental upbringing 3. Bad company 4. Peer pressure/influence 5. Drug addiction 6. The social media Cultism: The original intention of the founding fathers of some groups in Nigeria like Prof. Wole Soyinka and others which was the promotion of the positive intentions of its members has been overtaken today by the quest for power, prominence, authority and other selfish interest. This factor has led to the rise of various cult groups in Nigeria today. Cultism has been on the rampage in the education system today. No stage is left out. Its ugly face is even visible in the primary schools. The menace of cultism has given rise to killings of innocent citizens and destruction of properties, disruption of the academic system and learning environment as well as other despicable conditions in the nation. Poor Parental Upbringing: A lot of parents have chosen to go after material wealth and their daily schedule and leave their wards to the mercy of house helps and guardians. These children become exposed and vulnerable to a whole lot of dangers and evil. Most of them become exposed to sex and sexuality at a very tender age, others learn bad character trait from such care givers. At the end of the day, they behave the way they have been groomed and pose much harm to society. Bad Company: As the saying goes, tell me who you go with and I will tell you who you are. A good number of children are exposed to bad company at home and in the school. Many a times, the young ones keep company with other children that impact their behavior negatively. They learn bad behaviours from them at a very tender age and grow with such behaviours ranges from prostitution to reckless sexual activities, smoking, rape, drug abuse and addiction to mention but a few. Peer Pressure/Influence: Peer pressure have destroyed a whole lot of good children. The desire to meet up with what is trending among our young ones have given rise to crimes and criminality in Nigeria today. The young ones copy a lot. They want to dress like other ones, make the same hair style, wear the same shoes, keep boyfriends and girlfriends, go clubbing and partying and get themselves involved in what their peers are doing. By so doing they learn bad behaviors. Drug Addiction: Drug Addiction is one of the most common ills in the society. It is prominent among the young persons due to youthful exorbitance and other environmental factors that has to do mainly with the friends they hang out with and the places they visit. The Social Media: The social media includes the internet, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and other means of communication to reach wider coverage. The social media has done more harm than good to our young generation today. Many of them visit pornographic sites and view their pictures thereby practicing what they see. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 1. Good parental Upbringing 2. The religious organization 3. The traditional institutions 4. The school 5. The media Good Parental Upbringing: The family as the first agent of socialization has a key role to play towards the upbringing of the child. According to the scripture, train a child the way he should grow and he would not depart from it. The parent should pay more attention on their children and keep close eyes on them instead of leaving them at the mercy of house help while they chase after their personal interest. The Religious Organization: The Religious leaders have a role to play as far as the good character formation among the young ones is concerned. They should use the respect placed on them to impact good teachings on them in their various places of worship. The Traditional Institutions:
Education Technology Tips to help your Students Excel in a Virtual Meeting A virtual meeting is digital in the sense that two or more parties meet remotely using a video conferencing tool such as Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, etc. In a digital meeting, conversation are mainly verbal as opposed to in-person meetings where you can rely on non-verbal communications such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language or impulsive gestures. This therefore means that making objective assessments and conclusions can be challenging, especially in the case where there are technical difficulties. This calls for the need to prepare adequately in order to achieve a successful meeting. Following the tips below can help you prepare your students adequately. Preparation A virtual meeting should be treated with the same seriousness as an in-person meeting. Your students should prepare days before the actual day of the meeting. Students should learn about the software that they would be using for the meetings. The software should be installed in their systems and tested to ensure that it works well. Practice sessions should be conducted with their peers. In addition, the environment to be used for the meeting, whether in school or at home should be free of distraction. Full Battery Life Running out of battery during a meeting can truncate the flow of a meeting. For a hitch free process, your students should be taught to charge their batteries in advance. Students should be taught to make sure they check that their batteries are fully charged shortly before the meeting begin. Lighting The lights in the meeting environments should be bright and placed behind the student(s) to avoid it shadowing the faces of the students. Your students should learn to look into the camera so that the participants at the meeting can maintain eye contact with them. Decency Students should be taught to comport themselves with decency – avoid chitchats with friends, make sure that devices like TV and phones are turned off or muted. Background noises are a huge source of distraction a virtual meeting. In addition, it is advised that their background for the meeting should be either plain or neutral. It should not be covered with bold colours, designs or images, which can be controversial. Students are expected to dress decently whether they are in their uniforms at school or at home in casual wears. Clothes that reveal sensitive body parts should be avoided as much as possible. Participation Students should endeavor to participate actively in virtual meetings. They should ask questions. It is a good practice to pencil down questions beforehand to facilitate the free flow of conversation. Also, try not to feel obligated to answer questions of which you have no idea that their answers are. Be open and ask for clarification where any point is not understood. Finally, remember to express your gratitude for being a part of the virtual meeting.SchoolRoom Magazine 9
Book Review By reading this book, it means exploring the voices of 44 young Rwandan writers, at Writers Space Africa—Rwanda (WSA-R). These young writers have taken up the responsibility to uplift the literary industry in Rwanda, hence, affecting society. In this book, the writers have included different themes surrounding mental health, healing, love, humanity, domestic and gender-based violence, drug use, motherhood, culture, feelings and philosophies that can be relatable to many. Voices of space contains 56 works and each of them conveys a unique message. Which will resonate with a whole lot of readers. The book is written in English and Kinyarwanda, aims to educate, entertain and promote African traditional literature and values. ----Courtesy: Joan Mbabazi, the New Times Rwanda.SchoolRoom Magazine 10
Available on You can also contact us on resourcitate@gmail.com for copies of the book. Book Review Everybody's got a crush/(es) at some point in their lives. Young or old, in the past, or even at present, sooner or later, we all can find ways to identify with the originality of the Author's writing. Oh My Crush! is a must read for every parent as it offers insight into the mind of your young ones (in case you've forgotten what it was like at their age), and interestingly provides a guide to building the rapport with your teen, and identifying with their world. It's simply a definitely must read for every child as the author displays an uncanny wisdom and unusual perspective at that age at articulating the various stages of a Crush and what to do and not to do at such times. She spices it up with her personal experiences (which we will agree is quite hard to get that vulnerable for many of us) and also adds a twist with the 'Jenna' character for lovers of fiction. I must say I have learned quite a lot from these few pages than I did from my own personal crush experiences and so would you. So please, go grab copies for you and the girls/boys in your life. ----- Arc Bimbo Funsho, Senior manager, Facility Management Department, NRS, Abuja 11
Virtual Learning Focus Feature Article The recent lockdown measures due to the pandemic have in its wake made it mandatory for schools to seek innovative ways to carry out teaching and learning for students. Most schools transitioned to virtual classes consequently. For schools that had no assess to virtual classes, the learning losses were huge. Research by UNESCO have shown that regardless of whether there is the availability of technological access or not, students that are learning at home find it challenging to focus on the intended content largely due to the unavailability of a quiet and stable place to learn at home. Some students do not have anyone at home that can help them with their schoolwork. The pandemic have forced schools to think of alternative ways to deliver content to their students. The virtual learning in our schools is a welcome innovation as schools have found it implementation to be sustainable and cost effective. It is discovered that virtual learning can be implemented alongside on-site learning to improve knowledge and skills. The combination of different learning techniques have been seen to improve learner motivation and engagement. Research have shown that while eLearning can boost knowledge retention by 60%, 70% of new knowledge can be lost within the first few hours in the case of in- person learning. A digital approach to learning shares learning content in different ways through quizzes, animations, videos etc. thereby making information to become reinforced due to repetition. This makes learning fun and not a chore. Schools can even introduce training methods such as simulation or augmented reality. It is advisable to use technology led learning tools such as personalization, analytics, automation, gamification etc. that can use artificial intelligence, lively graphics and gaming to embed learning. Choose applications with very friendly interfaces that are quiz-based. The best kinds are those that use a limited range of topics in order to maximize knowledge automatically as a motivation for learning and continuity. Virtual Learning combined with physical teaching provides a robust learning experience. Virtual learning is now playing an increasingly vital role in education in Africa. One major advantage of virtual learning is that learners can access content in an independent and interactive manner, promptly at any time. Another advantage is that classes can be recorded which promotes catch-up and review for future references. -- Juliet OkpoSchoolRoom Magazine 12
The Impact of ONLINE LEARNING on School children’S Vision. One key item that should be in school children’s back to school list is a comprehensive eye examination. Medically, eye defects such as reduced vision in one eye; crossed eyes, near sightedness, eye-tracking; eye focusing and eye teaming have been the most popular in school children’s vision issues. Educators need to look out for the red flags that are pointers to the fact that some of their children might be challenged in their vision. Such red flags could be trouble with reading writings on the board, squinting and headaches. However, there are other not – so – obvious signs as identified by the American Optometric Association that needs to be taken into consideration. These not-so-obvious signs are usually mistaken for misbehavior of the students whereas in fact, they are pointers to vision problems in the children. We will enumerate some of these signs to help us assist our students get the necessary help they might need: a) A student finds it difficult to organize or prioritize work and time b) When a student’s performance does not equate his/her potential c) When a student finds it difficult to follow directions and work independently d) When a student is easily angered and frustrated with schoolwork e) When the learner have difficulty in completing tasks f) When the learner lacks interest in books and reading g) When learners relies heavily on pictures h) When a learner is disruptive and pays no attention School Health SchoolRoom Magazine 13
When one or more of these signs are noticed in a child, it is worth taking that child for a proper eye examination. One key item that should be in our back to school list is a comprehensive eye examination. Virtual learning makes students spend an increased number of hours on digital devices and computer systems. The blue light from digital devices aside causing eye strain and making learners to blink less, can trick a learner’s body system into thinking it is daytime even at night. Consequently, the learners stay awake when they are supposed to be having a good night rest. Hormones develop at night during sleep and the development of the brains of young children and be challenged when they do not get the necessary sleep at night. This can affect the vision of a learner adversely and consequently have long-term problems with their vision and learning, therefore the need for children vision care. We as educators can help the students by: ✓ Being proactive and observe signs of defects ✓ Creating device free times and zones both in schools and at home ✓ Creating more outdoor time for young learners, which exposes them to lots of bright light during the day. This will boost your ability to sleep at night. A big part of learning can be lost on a child if he/she has a long prolonged period of undetected or untreated vision challenge. There is a very strong link between students learning and their vision. The visual skills of a child plays a huge role in the academic performance of that child. Children are taught to be able to recognize words that are written on pages. Children are also expected to understand the meaning of the words that they read. It is at this point the learning is supposed to occur. There is a lot of pressure and suffering for any child that has vision problems, as there will be difficulty in learning. The good news is that possible vision problems are correctable. This can be achieved with timely diagnosis and treatment. School Health School Health is proudly Supported by Mayfield Specialist Hospital (MSH) furnished with excellent equipment, is an institute in Abuja that is committed to providing the highest standard of health care, backed by respected and leading medical experts. A one-stop multi-specialty hospital, established to provide a complete range of outpatient and inpatient diagnostics and treatment services. MSH Eye clinic endeavours to provide a superior care to patients at an affordable cost, close to home.SchoolRoom Magazine 14
Interview with Mrs. Oyewumi Eniola Proprietress, Cadebek Int. School Mrs. Oyewumi Eniola is a native of Ibadan in Oyo State of Nigeria. She had her Primary and Junior Secondary education in Ibadan. She had her Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Government Girls College, Oyo. She studied Law at the Lagos State University and proceeded to Abuja, Nigeria for Law School. She met her husband while at the Law School, fell in love with Abuja and decided to remain in Abuja. She has been married for over 18years now and her marriage is blessed with three lovely sons. Mrs. O. Eniola is the Proprietress of Cadebek International School, Lokogoma, Abuja in Nigeria. Q What is your main motivation for owning a school? I never felt I could run a school. I just love children and everything about me was tilting towards owning a school. I had worked in a Bank, but was never really fulfilled as a banker. I later ventured into doing children related business and I always felt joy when I see children enjoying my items. I found out that I had passion for children and all that concerns children. My husband saw a revelation about me and told me that God is calling me to own a school. I declined at first but my husband started putting things in place based on his conviction. I came from a place of thinking I was unworthy, to a place of believing I could own a school. The major fear was the huge responsibility of influencing the destinies of children positively. Compelled by my family members, with the encouragement that my mum was in education in time past, I enrolled for a -3 months Montessori training and passed the exams with excellence. The training came with confidence. This newfound confidence, passion for children well-being, coupled with support from my husband, gave birth to Cadebek International School. In addition, to prove that it was a calling from God, I realized that I can connect with children naturally and since I started, it has been smooth sailing, with help coming from different and even unexpected sources. Q Can you give a brief about your school and its major focus? Cadebek was born on 8 January 2018. We started with three children, my child inclusive. Now we have grown to have a Nursery and a Primary section. The niche for the school is ICT. Armed with the knowledge that technology is the future because I believe that children have the innate ability to adapt to present day technology. From recent experiences, I know that work is being done to expose school children in Nigeria to ICT, but it is not sufficient yet. With the advancement in technology and the dynamic nature of ICT, we should do more and catch them young. We started teaching children at Cadebek from grade 1, the basics of Coding and Robotics alongside Artificial Intelligence and 3D printing technology. Our aim is to expose children early to coding and the implementation of the results. We have invested a whole lot in our IT equipment and manpower. Furthermore, at Cadebek, we train the children on how to market their products confidently. It is the aim of Cadebek to reach out to other children in the environs. We pursue this aim through using activities such as Summer schools and the Booth Camp, which we organized last year August, where other children apart from the children in Cadebek, were invited to be part of coding and robotics. We also taught them entrepreneurial skills. Children were encouraged and guided to produce items such as T-Shirts, Bracelets, rings, cupcakes, batik etc., which they sold to invited parents and friends. Overall, Cadebek’s main objective is to raise a balanced child wholly. Proprietress Voice SchoolRoom Magazine 15
“Cadebek is introducing creativity to young minds and as a result, giving expression to what have been ignited in their brains by creating a conducive environment for the children to pursue their passion” Q What are the challenges you have experienced so far? There is little or no support from the Government. Parents are not adequately informed and so, they do not appreciate innovations. In turn, they fight your initiatives. The Nigerian environment is toxic to learning. Most Nigerians are not willing to unlearn the old ways and learn new and better approaches to learning. This is really affecting the speed of growth in education. Another challenge is in the area of staffing. Many staff are not interested in self-development in order to become better teachers. Q What are you plans for the future of Cadebek? To reach 5million children in 5 years. We plan to use our Booth Camp to achieve this. We will be selecting the best set of children in technology and source for sponsorship from Government bodies or individuals that are willing to support these children and propel them further. Through these sponsorships, they will be equipped with all the necessary materials that they will need to practice and perfect their skills. Currently, we are running the Cadebek Kids Innovation Hub. Children come in to the school every Saturday and we train them on coding and robotics. The hub is available to all the children in the environment regardless of whether they are pupils in Cadebek or not. Q How would you advice others that will want to own a school like you? Collaboration. I believe that collaboration will take us far. We need to venture out and develop a good network of like minds. We all have our strengths that make us unique and special. We cannot be everything and therefore we need to come together to make a whole. I will also advice for mentorship. Even a few inputs from a good mentor can have a tremendous impact on one’s endeavor. Next, we should identify what we do best and be grounded in it. You must have a well laid down plan and run with it. You do not have to follow the bandwagon. Also, do not rush at anything. My advice is that you start small. When you rush and you make your mistake, you make your mistake big and you might not recover. Cadebek did not happen overnight. It took us six years of careful planning before we started. Learn to develop strong roots and have a good understanding of what you have decided to do. Cadebek Kids Innovation Hub is open to everyone. It is located at the school premises in Lokogoma, Abuja Cadebek Kids Innovation Hub Proprietress Voice SchoolRoom Magazine 16
On the African Scene Focus on RWANDARwanda is a small landlocked country in central Africa. A mountainous country in which nearly 89 percent of the population lived by subsistence farming at the beginning of the century, is now regarded as one of the most economically dynamic nations on the continent and a model of speedy development. Rwanda’s average economic growth rates is around 8 percent for the past 18 years. The city business district of Kigali is one of the cleanest and safest cities in Africa. School education is centrally overseen by the national Ministry of Education in Kigali and administered locally by District Education Offices. Overall goals for the education systems are generally set forth in multi-year strategic education sector development plans. The Rwanda Education Board is responsible for developing school curricula, examinations in the school system, and standards for teacher training. Recently, to improve the welfare of students the government has admonished private schools to implement a school feeding policy. This programme was only being implemented in public and government-aided schools. The government’s desire is for this programme to reach every child that attends school. According to the policy, all school children must have lunch at school. According to World Bank records, practically all primary and secondary schools had toilets, close to 60 percent had tap water, and hydroelectric supply is available in more than 55 percent of primary schools and in more than 70 percent of secondary schools. Almost 70 percent of the primary schools and 85 percent of secondary schools have computers. The Internet is accessible in more than 40 percent of secondary schools and 25 percent of primary schools. Rwanda’s education achievements over the past decades have been impressively remarkable. SchoolRoom Magazine 17
Resourcitate Basic Education Teaching and Learning Conference 2026, Abuja (2nd Chapter) 27th November The annual Resourcitate Basic Education Teaching and Learning Conference brings together educational stakeholders to celebrate and share good practice and innovation in learning and teaching. Highlights Insightful Keynote Literacy Workshop Session Networking and Collaborations Discussion sessions on Current Trends in Teaching and Learning Conference Materials Refreshment Certificates Etc. For enquiries, send us a message on WhatsApp: +2348092299996 (messaging only), email us at resourcitate@gmail.com or call us on +2348092529999. You can invite Resourcitate to speak at any of your school events such as Open days, Parents/Teachers Association Meetings, Workshops etc.
Education Veteran Muhammad Ali has taught Mathematics for 32 years in various contexts and capacities. He has worked as a Teacher, School Head, Teacher Trainer, Teacher educator and Education Quality Consultant. He has participated in many education reform activities that have taken place in the country from 2003 to date – USAID-COMPASS, DFID-funded ESSPIN, TDP, UNICEF- EDU-DATA, GPE, DLA etc. Interaction with Muhammed Ali BSc, MSc (ed)Mathematics Q What has been the journey up until now? “Naturally, I like to look at it from the perspective that my venture into education is like what people will regard as “a calling”. I graduated from secondary school as one of the best in my school. In fact one of the best in Nigeria at that time, that was around 1982. I had about 5 A1’s. So naturally, I got into Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Nigeria. I started as a student of Electrical Engineering. Halfway through my first year, my father got sick to the level that he had to be taken outside Nigeria for treatment. I was the only male that could go with him. I had to take time off from my education and followed him to UK. We stayed there for almost 14 days. I sought for permission before I left and it was granted, when I came back to Electrical Engineering, I had missed a lot of practical work and discovered that there was no way I could cope. So I was given two options: either to repeat the year or go on to another department, because I did really well in Maths. Therefore, I opted to go to Mathematics Department. So by the grace of God, completed my studies with a 2.1 in mathematics, which was very good. I had the option to be either a part time Lecturer or an Assistant lecturer. This was offered to me by the university. At the same time, I got another job with a bank, which is no longer in existence now but was one of the major banks during President Abacha’s regime. My father did not want me to work as a banker and I agreed with him. So, I went back and applied to my state where I was given a job as an Auditor to work in the bursary department. I accepted that offer. The problem was on the day I was to collect my offer letter, everyone that I went together with, collected their offer and my own was missing. My name was the first on the list, but I did not see my offer letter. They said I then went to see him in his office. your offer was with the chairman.. He said he deliberately called for my offer letter and requested to see me because in his opinion, I did not need a Degree in Mathematics to work as an Auditor . He said that anybody who finished secondary school could work as an auditor. He opened his records, which said in the whole of Kano state they had only 54 people who have ever had a degree in mathematics, in the history of the state. I was the 54th in the state. “You have brothers and sisters out there waiting for you to support them. Why work as an auditor where you add no value so I’d like to counsel you. I’m not forcing you but it is better if you can help your brothers and sisters to learn maths the way you learn math.” He then gave me time to think about it. He being an elder with elderly wisdom, I told him that I was willing to accept his advice, but my problem was that, I don’t want to be posted outside, to remote areas and he assured me that I will be allowed to work where you wanted. That was how I became a teacher. There and then, he tore my offer letter; he called for another one immediately. A new one was stamped and they brought me as what they called an Education Officer. They then posted me to the Ministry of Education and from there; they posted me to another school. It was the remotest part of Kano state. The emir of that area happened to be a Primary Secretary in the ministry, so he built a second SchoolRoom Magazine 19
school in his area and he wanted the best to go there. At that time, only big Lorries plied that area and you join it along with cows, goats, as a graduate. I was initially hesitant and skeptical about joining the lorry when someone told me that if missed this one, I was not going to get another one. So I had to scramble to get on and it is only once a week so if you miss that one you will not get until next week. I had to scramble for space and with the load, I tell you by the time we arrived, even my mother could not recognize me. I was so messed up. The road was untarred and dusty. I managed for the first week. After they paid my salary, I went home. My mother said, “Have they been painting you black”. I had lost all my touch with town and I had localized. She was not happy but I manage. I was there for almost two years. One good thing about that area is that, if you are a teacher, anything that is sold in that village is free for teachers. If you say how much is this one, they will say just take it. If you take rides on machines, as a teacher, you do not pay. If you rent a house as a teacher, you do not pay rent. You know “fura de nunu” (traditional yoghurt in Northern Nigeria), it is free for teachers. Another thing is that they also parade women to teachers and the woman will bring food in the morning, in the afternoon. She will make lunch for you in the afternoon and make dinner at no cost. Maybe they were facing some challenges about people not wanting to come and stay there. It was only after my father passed that I started to appreciate what he thought about my going to such a remote area. That maybe it was the will of God. I have been to UK, I have been to US, I have been to Dubai, I have been to Malaysia all on the account of education, so God has a way of paying you if you are sincere and you are committed. ” Q Was there any striking experience you had that was a defining moment in your career as an educator. “All my previous experiences were all about sacrifices, it was really arduous, a very difficult journey.” I had never travelled away from home before, but I was suddenly place in a difficult situation where I had to face life on my own in a very trying condition. In 2003, the NGO that came to Nigeria- COMPASS was the defining moment. They came and made sure to engage only people that met their standards. The authorities attempted to hijack the exercise and put their own people, but when they saw that it was an all-white team and the team was not willing to compromise, they asked them to come again another day. I was selected because based on their criteria, I met their standard. This was the defining moment of my career as an educator. This also was the beginning of my transformation. Everything took an upward turn for me, both financially and otherwise. Beyond the financial implication, we were told to focus more on the training that was so unique such that we will not be able to get such knowledge in any university in Nigeria. We were made to understand that we could even make a living with what we will learn in the training they will give us and this was exactly what happened. The next project I was privileged to be a part of was the Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPN). It was the longest NGO project I ever embarked on. I had the option to return to Kano State government and work but I decided to disengage from the service due to adverse circumstances. Since then it has been a smooth sailing journey.” Q What in your opinion can advance education in Nigeria? “From my experiences, when an NGO comes, they study the existing and find ways to improve on the existing while introducing new directions. However, in Nigeria, this is not the case. While we have very good policies, we also have the challenge of implementing them. We have the best political system but the processes will be abused. The same goes for Education. We should have a system in place that will make sure that the funds meant for education will get to their destination with accountability. While working with Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria, we came up with School Based Management Committee (SBMC). We came up with the idea in the school years that, in order to ensure that everything allocated to the school reaches the school, every school, as a policy, should have a committee made up of people from that locality. Such as the traditional ruler or district head in that community. He will be the chairperson. If it’s a Muslim community there should be an Imam and if it’s a Christian community there must be a Pastor in that area that will be a member. Then maybe a wealthy person from that area should be the treasurer and not a poor man. It must have a female member and if there is a trade union, it should be included. The head boy and the head girl of the school should be members. We train these people on how to manage funds. How to draw up a plan. How to draw simple monetary procedure that for every
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