Academic excellence alone not enough – school founder tells children

The Founder and Director of Halifield Schools, Lagos, Halima Oke.

The Founder and Director of Halifield Schools, Lagos, Halima Oke, has said academic excellence alone is not enough to prepare children for the future, stressing the need to identify and nurture their creativity, talents, confidence and practical skills.

Oke spoke at the 30th anniversary and thanksgiving ceremony of Halifield Schools at the Muson Centre, Lagos, where she explained that the philosophy behind the school was rooted in the belief that every child has something valuable to offer, even when he or she does not excel academically.

She said, “Not every child is academically inclined, but every one of them is gifted in one way or the other.”

According to her, some children may not “shine brightest in the classroom” but could possess extraordinary creativity, talent, ingenuity or practical abilities capable of taking them far in life.

“Halifield is not just a school; it is a community connected by a shared belief in the power of education and the limitless possibilities in every child,” she said.

Oke said this conviction informed the introduction of skills acquisition into the school’s programme from its early years.

She said, “One of the things that made Halifield different from the beginning was our belief in the power of skills and creativity.

“We introduced what we called skills acquisition into the school programme.”

The founder said the philosophy was born out of her own experience building the school from scratch.

“Starting a school was an exciting adventure into a completely uncharted territory. We began modestly with just ten children across pre-school to Primary 4,” Oke recalled.

She added, “Our numbers were so small that one class had just one pupil, while the others were distributed among three classes. We had a Nursery 2 class, eagerly waiting to feed the primary school.

“It was small. It was simple. But the dream was big. It was not all smooth sailing. We had our financial challenges, and it took several years before the school began to break even. All this time, I did not receive a salary.

“My reward was something else: the indescribable joy of watching an idea I deeply believed in come alive.”

She said Halifield College was established in 2012, in response to parents’ requests.

“Some parents asked, ‘What happens after primary school? Where will our children go?’” Oke recalled.

She said the college gave pupils who began their education at Halifield Primary School an opportunity to continue their journey within the institution.

“With the coming of this school, it was clear that the little mustard seed was no longer little,” Oke said.

The Principal of Schools, Mrs Frances Osuchukwu, said the institution’s emphasis on discovering the whole child had complemented its academic achievements.

She said the school’s vision was to help children become more than examination successes.

She said Halifield pupils had distinguished themselves in WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations, contributing to the school’s recognition among leading schools in Lagos.

“Vision is not about putting up classrooms or churning out students but establishing where students learn and discover themselves. Vision is the ability to transform ideas and dreams into reality,” she said.

Osuchukwu stated further that the school had created opportunities for pupils to discover themselves through education, skills and other areas of interest.