Follow Us on Google
By Chinyere Anyanwu
The joy of completing six years of academic pursuit in flying colours resonated with the 2023 set of graduands of Radiance High School, Festac Town, Lagos, during the school’s recent 20th valedictory service and graduation ceremony.
Radiance High School, one of the highflying private secondary schools in Lagos, penultimate weekend, sent off 43 students who graduated with excellent performances.
Within the school and in external examinations, the 2023 set gave a good account of themselves as they recorded outstanding results in the recently concluded May/June 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Several of students scored As and Bs, with three of them scoring 7As and 2Bs each. The school’s highest scorer in UTME got 286 while others equally obtained high scores.
The overall best graduating student and outgoing headboy of the school, Onyekachi Mbakwe, obtained 7As and 2Bs in the school examination, while the outgoing headgirl, Chiamaka Njemanze, also recorded 7As and 2Bs in the WASSCE. Another student, Chisom Madu, got 7As and 2Bs.
Speaking during the ceremony, the principal of the school, Mrs. Chinenye Azoma-Chikwe, who was full of admiration for the graduating students, lauded their academic prowess, which she said was evidence of the quality education Radiance High School offered to students.
Mrs. Azoma-Chikwe, addressing the outgoing students, said, “The education you have received here will definitely help you to fit into the society. All aspects of your lives have been touched to bring out the best in you. We have produced all-round students who will contribute meaningfully to the development of our country.”
She urged them to, “Go out with determination and with positive thinking,” saying, “I know you will surely achieve your goals because Radiance High School has equipped and empowered you to radiate your potential.”
Also speaking, the ICT director of the school and a member of the board of directors, Chuba Menkiti, gave kudos to the graduating students for having achieved this major feat in their young lives, while expressing hope that their future held great and bright promises.
Advising the students, Menkiti said, “I congratulate them for having achieved this feat in life but there are still many critical steps ahead of them so they have to remain focused because the victory is not complete. I will advice them to steer clear of drugs, cultism and other vices and stay focused on their education.”
Menkiti noted that “this set of graduating students are about the best we’ve had in the last five years as regards WASSCE results. Their result is outstanding. We have the highest number of As and Bs among them.”
He added that the school, taking cognisance of the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence globally, has started training its students in Robotics to prepare them for the future and to ensure they are technologically sound to represent the school and Nigeria as a whole.
For her part, the chairperson at the occasion, Mrs. Nkechi Udomeh, expressed excitement at the progress and achievements the students have recorded in their six years’ sojourn in the school, hailing their teachers and the school authorities for a job well done.
To the graduating students, she advised: “They should be focused in their future pursuits and not to be distracted. Whatever they do, they should not leave God aside; they should always put God first. They should pursue their life goals with courage, vigour and determination.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the VP Academics, Mrs. Ifeoma Ezechukwu, emphasised the sterling qualities that have been imparted to the graduating students.
Mrs. Ezechukwu said, “we’ve trained them to be like eagles. Eagles don’t relent; they are resilient and strong. So we’ve trained them to be strong, resilient and goal getters. There’s trouble in the world but with determination and hard work, they will beat the odds.”
In appreciation, the overall best graduating student, Onyekachi Mbakwe, thanked the Radiance High School authorities, teachers and their parents, for the guidance and encouragement he and his colleagues received in the course of their stay in the school.
According to him, “we have gained knowledge and skills that will serve us well in the years to come.”
He counselled his fellow graduating students to, “never stop learning, never stop growing and never stop chasing your dreams. With hard work, determination and a willingness to take risks, anything is possible.”
The graduating students received awards in the following categories; overall best graduating student; overall best in mathematics; English; Physics; Science; Coding and Robotics; Commercial; Art; neatest boy and girl; best behaved boy and girl, among others.
Other highlights of the ceremony included cultural dance and song presentation by some of the graduating students.
