Lagos State has partnered Finland to boost its comprehensive schools.
The comprehensive schools programme was launched last year. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu conceived the partnership.
Select teachers and coordinators were sent on a two-week training at the Tampere University Applied Sciences (TAMK) in Finland in partnership with Finland. The programme, which began on April 18, ended on May 1.
The group studied the Finnish education system, ranked as the best in the world. The aim was to pick up methodologies and strategies to be incorporated into the Comprehensive Schools Programme for the best results.
Adebayo Sodiq, a teacher from Lagos Education District I, with his colleagues, witnessed innovation first-hand at a project presentation on recycling plastic to form rings, earrings, and other items at Ylojarvi Upper Secondary School.
“I was impressed by the confidence of students and the depth of their know-how. It was an eye-opener on how learning can move from textbooks to practical and useful purposes. It is a testament to the flexibility of an education system where learners are accommodated to leave no dead end in the system. This is similar to the vision of the Lagos Comprehensive Schools Programme, and offers a specific equivalent in the Finnish JOPO Programme helping students regain motivation and prevent dropout.”
“JOPO is like a mirror image of our Comprehensive Schools Programme, only bigger”, said Bunmi Abiloye, an Education District VI tutor. “With elements like activity-based and on-the-job learning, individual learning plans, as well as school camps, field trips, study visits, internships and team building that help expand and improve our scope,” she added.
