Lumen Empowers Lagos Pupils with Rewards

Peace Obi

A non-profit organisation, Lumen10 Global, has rewarded 384 out of over 10,000 public primary school pupils in Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State whose academic performance for 2015/2016 session was analysed for the purpose; through a project tagged ‘REACH’.

With a unique reward system, REACH, an acronym for ‘Rewarding, Encouraging Academic Champion’ gave its awards not just to pupils with excellent academic performance but also those at the bottom end of the class who have shown significant improvement in their performance.

Starting with Ikeja LGA where 26 out of 33 public primary schools that submitted their students’ 2015/2016 academic performance data for analysis, 15 awards recipients emerged from each school for different categories of awards.
Speaking during the prize giving ceremony, Head of Research and Development, Mr. Charles Woghiren, said the project was designed to promote continuous improvement in the standard of education in the country.

According to Woghiren, the NGO through data analysis seeks to identify top ranked government-owned primary schools in every LGA and reward the outstanding students for their excellent performance, and added that the prizes were awarded to schools with the overall best performance in English and Mathematics.

Enumerating the three different categories of awards available to students, Woghiren said, “Achievement prize goes to student with the overall best academic performance; form prize is awarded to students with best combined performance in English and Mathematics. It is aimed at encourage the development of numeracy and literacy skills amongst students given the relevance of these proficiencies for success in all future life endeavours. The last in the category is progress prize; it is awarded to the most academically improved student between 1st term and 3rd term.

“So, we are trying to motivate both the children at the top end of the class and those at the bottom end of the class. We are starting with Ikeja LGA at the pilot phase, we hope to have covered the entire 20 LGA in Lagos State by 2019,” he said.

In words of encouragement, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afolabi Fashanu urged the pupils to remain focused and committed to their studies as well as listen to their teachers’ guidance.

“Now you know that if you excel you are going to be rewarded. But that should not be the end of your target’ your target should be to reach the pinnacle of whatever career you are likely to choose in the nearest future. And this is the time to start. Fundamentally, listen to your teachers; they are there to guide you to the path of success and greatness,” Fashanu added.

Recalling his primary school days at Model Primary School Idioro, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon counselled the pupils never to see their being in public school as a limitation, rather as an opportunity to pursue their dreams in life. “Governor Ambode was once like you and he rose to become a governor. You can become the governor of this state, start now to follow your dream”, he advised.

Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Ganiyu Sopeyin thanked Lumens10, their sponsors and collaborators for their kind gesture.

Describing their action as a positive impact to the root of education, the SUBEB Chairman who was represented by Executive Director, Co-Curricula, Mrs. Bunmi Oteju said the prizes would have a great impact on both the recipients and their mates in school.

“These prizes will boost their morale and encourage others to work harder. That is why it is good to organise events like this for the children, to challenge and encourage them.” Calling on the private sector, corporate organisations and NGOs to partner the government so as to make quality education accessible to every Nigerian child, Sopeyin said government cannot do it alone.

The project sponsors included Dangote Salt, Dan-Q Seasoning, Nestle Milo and Kraft Heinz while Lagos SUBEB and DXI Marketing served as project partners.