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By Gabriel Dike
One of the nation’s special schools, Anthos House, Lagos, has awarded certificates to seven special needs students for their outstanding performance.
The ceremony attracted parents and some stakeholders, who acknowledged the efforts of Anthos House in shaping the lives of the special needs students.
The seven special students were awarded ASDAN (Awarded Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) certificates. The education body is an awarding organization based in Bristol, UK.
Anthos House, an upshot of Greensprings Schools, was established in 2021 to caster for special needs students. The award event was its maiden edition.
In her speech, the executive director, Mrs. Lai Koiki, said history was made with the award of certificates to students from Anthos House and lauded the teachers for their efforts.
Mrs. Koiki, who was represented by the deputy director of education, Dr. Barney Wilson, explained that the students completed their studies within a record period, adding, “in normal schools, the focus is on students performance but at Anthos House, every student matters.”
The head of school, Dr. Kimberly Scollard, said the implication of the certificate was that the world and Nigeria know how students with disabilities are taken care of by expert teachers.
She said: “Our students are smart and hardworking. We do everything the normal schools do. But our focus is practical and, with the certificate, the students can gain admission into universities abroad but not in Nigeria.”
Scollard revealed that seven students received their certificates and commended them for their outstanding performance.
In her remarks, the assistant principal, Mrs. Tinuke Ogunaike, reaffirmed that the courses were practical in nature, stating, “Our students have been busy in the last one year creating a lot of crafts and arts.”
Ogunaike explained that ASDAN allow the students to achieve result at their own pace and no rushing. Some completed two courses and received two certificates while other got one each.
Sharing his experience in the last one year, Eguono Irerhime, disclosed that the classes are practical and the teachers take them through various tasks to prepare them for the future.
“I want to thank our teachers for the care, understanding and for believing in us. I want to specially thank our parents for being there for us,” Irerhime revealed.
An elated parent, Mrs. Dupe Ojo, whose daughter, Bolanle Ojo, bagged two certificates, said she is happy seeing her daughter a changed person because after her primary education, it was difficult getting a secondary school to accept her.
Said she: “I brought her to Anthos House, she was number 001 and she has improved. She couldn’t start school at three but now she can read, cook and even face the crowd.
“She wants to be a doctor. My plan is for her to travel abroad for further studies. I want to advice parents with special needs children never to give up on them but bring them to Anthos House. The teachers will turn around the child for better.”
