Education stakeholders have urged more focus on children’s character development and emotional well-being, saying academic success alone cannot prepare young people for life’s realities.
The stakeholders made the call on the sidelines of the 20th Valedictory Service of The Foresight Schools, Festac Town, Lagos, on Monday. The ceremony was with the theme, ‘The Conquerors’.
The school administrators, teachers and parents reflected on the journey of the graduating students and the responsibilities awaiting them beyond secondary school.
The Proprietress of the school, Mrs Ajoke Adeyemi, said graduation should be seen as a transition into greater responsibility rather than simply a celebration.
Adeyemi, who was represented by the Principal of Foresight Secondary School, Mr Olugbenga Akeju, advised the graduands to remain disciplined as they prepare for university life.
“It is not what you are celebrating today that is most important but what is most important is where you are going.
“You are going to be exposed to so many things that can even change the trajectory of your life.
“So, it’s all about maintaining that discipline, and culture that you have been coming with from primary school to secondary school.
“Now you are going to the university, you’ve got to maintain that culture,” he said.
While she acknowledged concerns about excessive graduation celebrations in some schools, she said the event was worth celebrating because it marks the end of six years of learning filled with disappointment, joy, and stress.
Adeyemi, however, said the ceremonies should be regulated instead of scrapped, because they help students appreciate how far they have come.
Also, the school’s Vice Principal, Ms Rachel Melanu, said the institution deliberately balanced academic achievement with moral, emotional, and social development.
According to her, education should prepare children to be responsible members of society.
Drawing from her experience as a school counsellor, Melanu said many children struggle with emotional challenges linked to issues at home, making it difficult for them to learn effectively.
She emphasised that teachers must first address a child’s emotional state before meaningful learning can take place.
She urged parents to become more intentional in raising their children by listening to them, encouraging them after setbacks and resisting the temptation to compare them with others.
The Headteacher of Champions Baptist Academy, Mrs Alice Ojerinde, while congratulating the school and the students, opposed calls to abolish graduation ceremonies.
She added that such occasions provided opportunities for students to receive guidance before entering a new phase of life.
A parent, Mr Innocent Egbuna, commended the school for instilling discipline and leadership qualities in the graduands.
He supported government efforts to regulate graduation parties at lower educational levels.
He urged parents to be present in their children’s lives and lead by example.
“As a father, money is good but money is not everything; the children, they do what we, the parents, do,” he said.
Chairman of The Foresight Schools, Mr Benson Osuma, congratulated the graduating students and expressed confidence in their future.
He urged them to leave the school with courage, confidence, humility and determination as they embarked on the next phase of their lives.
He prayed God’s favour, guidance and prosperity for the graduands, and blessings for the parents and teachers.
For many of the students, the day was filled with excitement and reflection.
Head Boy Emmanuel Moyesan, said he would miss his friends and the activities that shaped his secondary school experience.
He advised younger students to remain diligent and take school as a responsibility, not as a burden so that academic work does not become a source of anxiety.
Another graduand, Nicole Odafe, said leaving the school was an emotional moment, noting that beyond academics, the institution had become a second home where she built lasting relationships with teachers and classmates.
