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By Sunday Ani
Education stakeholders under the auspices of ‘No Limit Collective,’ has said that one in every 10 children in Nigeria suffers from one mental challenge or the other.and
The group which aims at reengineering the art, science and business of education disclosed this during a five-month webinar series.
Cutting across national borders covering various niches, the Collective harnesses the power of many to move the limiting mountains that have arrested the development in eduspace.
The five-month event redefined the face of continuous professional development in Nigerian and continental eduspace, with so many speakers sharing ideas.
It also offered unfettered access to a retinue of thought leaders in different educational niches and their wealth of experience, as they shared valuable insights along various thematic concerns. In the opening remarks, a member of the No limit Collective, Rotimi Eyitayo said it was a way of turning limitations into launching pads for greatness.
The inaugural webinar, held in January 2022, had over 90 participants with Lanre Yusuf and Okeyinfu Ajayi moderating.
Speaking on a mentally healthy school, Ruqqoyah Ogunbiyi decried the poor state of mental health in our society, saying that one in every 10 children was prone to a mental health challenge; a factor he noted, that contributes to one of the top four reasons schools lose staff. “One in 10 parents cite mental wellness as a major reason to change or choose a school, yet only one in 30 schools has a functional mental health and counseling unit. These deplorable statistics has led to a breakdown of the steps needed to foster a mentally healthy school,” he said.
For Olumide Olusola, teaching self-belief and creating a culture of empathy emphasises the importance of the niche in society. “One only needs to look at the headlines and read about teenagers turning into ritualists and bullying, leading to death in hostels to understand the importance of mentally healthy schools,” he noted.
Harping on the need to activate effective counselling systems in that regard for schools, Tayo Owosina said a standard Counselling Unit should provide several functions, including Conflict Resolution, Counselling Interventions, and Relationship Management.
Omobola Olaribigbe spoke on the role of emotional intelligence in powering the much-needed mental health revolution in school and society, reeling out 10 commandment in that regard. “The sixth commandment reads: ‘thou shall learn to speak and not talk, while a previous one says ‘thou shall not react but respond to situations. More than mere witty soundbites, the commandments are a roadmap to achieving a heightened level of emotional intelligence,” she said.
The event also looked at the role of technology in this new age as it affects school children.
Speaking on the topic, “Raising a Techniversal School, a guest speaker and co-founder of 9ja kids, Titi Adewusi, reiterated the importance of adopting technology in schools and embracing the reality that comes with it.
For Dimeji Falana, the Co-founder of Edves Suite, evidence and benefits of using technology are visible for all to see.
A curriculum expert and brain behind Learning Craft, Rhoda Odigboh, outlined the practical steps needed to transition from a digital immigrant to a digital native, even as she gave a guide on how to effectively integrate technology into school and the importance of digital citizenship.
Others speakers included the founder of C.A.D.E.T, Lola Aneke, the CEO of Jordan Consulting, Adelola George, and Lanre Yusuf and Oluwaseyi Anifowose, among several others.
Also in attendance at the online event was Kemi Ogunsanya, an award-winning educator, who spoke on the topic ‘Teacher who saw Tomorrow.’ Participants commended the organiser, No Limit Webinar Series, and expressed satisfaction with the event, believing that it have positive impacts on schools administration going forward. The event attracted many persons who joined the No Limit Telegram Group.
