A Globally acclaimed secondary school in Nigeria, Olashore International School, has just won the British Council International Schools Award (ISA). This was made known during the recently organized road show in Lagos by the Principal of the School, Mr Derek Smith.
The British Council International School Award (ISA) is a benchmarking scheme that accredits schools as having an outstanding level of support for nurturing global citizenship in young people, and enriching teaching and learning. ISA is a yearly award given to participating schools. Applications from interested schools are called in every year, August/September period and schools are selected on the basis of their application. The British Council offers the ISA as an accreditation framework for schools to record and evaluate their international work and embed it into the curriculum.
According to the Principal, Mr Derek Smith, Olashore won the award based on various projects organized in the year 2015. His words: “We did a lot of projects which lasted for a period of twelve (12) months in the year 2015 which cuts across Human Rights, Supporting International Communities, Civic and Governance, Learning Through Technology, Global Awareness, International Food, and Africa Is Not A Country. It was a wide range of project involving everybody in the school. We believe that International work exposes educators to new practices and perspectives, aiding their professional development and as such raising teaching standards. For young people it is a window into different cultures and countries, preparing them for life in a global society. In November 2015, we submitted all the projects done, and International panel of judges were sent up to review these projects, at the end of the process, we emerged 47marks out of 49marks. We had all our evidences.
This accreditation award will last between 2016 and 2019. The British Council World -wide runs a network of registered schools and they offer International exams. I’m happy because our school gained recognition for what we do, and this is quite encouraging to do more”.
Organized annually by the school, the Road show kicked off its 2016, national and international interactive road shows starting from Port Harcourt, and also touched a number of other major cities including Abuja, Warri, Lagos and rounded off in London UK. The Road Show is aimed at fostering parents’ involvement in the education and development of their wards and in decision making. It is an avenue for invited prospective parents to learn more from the testimonials of some of the current parents at Olashore, and meet with the school authorities in a relaxed atmosphere.
The Principal commented “The idea of the Road Show is to go round to meet with our parents, get prospective and project what we are doing in the school. We realized that what is done in school is not adequately explained and understood by parents, so we felt this platform will be better to do so. Aside that, parents like us to come around to explain better where they haven’t been able to explain and convince their friends of what the school has in the offing and the reason they need to get their wards in. The Roadshow has been successful all the years”.
Commenting on the school, The Chairman, PTA Olashore International School, Mr Otunba Bolarinwa stated “I’ve been a parent in this school for seven (7) years and I can testify to the fact that the school has a lot of benefits in the offing. Having existed for Twenty-two (22) years with standard and quality education, I’m proud to be associated with it and I urge the prospective parents to partake of this quality for their wards. Affordability should not be a problem because the school provides scholarship scheme for the less privileged, and even at the PTA level, we make provision for similar purpose”.
One of the prospective parents, Mrs Blessing Ishomo, pointed out “We were invited for this Road Show and I think I’m glad that I’m here. As a parent, I’m looking for two things- Academic Excellence and the God Factor. With the presentation from the principal, I’m excited because it is holistic. I love academics though, but I also love Critical thinking, drama, music, leadership trainings, amongst others which Olashore School offers. I advise other incoming parents to check this place out, and if it marks all their checklists, then they should try to consider it”.
Established in 1994, on 60 acres of land, Olashore International School is a co-educational school which offers high calibre education in a wide range of subjects. It is one of Nigeria’s leading boarding schools, is particularly appealing to discerning Nigerians at home and abroad, as well as expatriates residing in Nigeria, who desire a school with a strong value system, proven track record and a clear sense of purpose.
