The Proprietress of Botsun Private School, Mrs. Iyabo Onibokun, has blamed the declining standard of education in the country on poor foundation at the primary education level.
According to her, pushing primary school students from lower classes to the secondary school is negatively affecting them psychologically, resulting in declining standard of education.
She stressed that it had become a common thing among some schools to move underage primary school pupils to secondary school level.
Onibokun, who said this at the 2018 graduation ceremony of the school, argued that the trend was not too good for the development of education in the country.
She, however, cautioned parents on the right age for children to proceed to secondary school, saying it was a must for primary school pupils to go through all the classes, especially basic six, which is the level they would be prepared for secondary education.
“This is a class the child knows he or she is ready for secondary school. They do things more than academics when they are in grade six and they literarily get them prepared for the class ahead and they are not afraid of the new environment,” she said.
She said the need to fill this gap created resulted in the establishment of her school over 10 years ago, to develop and prepare students for secondary education.
“That was why I did not bother to add secondary education because my vision was to prepare the right foundation for the pupils at the early stage and our products are everywhere in the country, doing well, academically,” she said.
The guest speaker, Pastor Segun Jenriope, stressed the need for children to be properly taken care of by their parents.
“If we treat them well, we will have a nation we will be proud of among comity of nations,” he said.
He, however, urged government to support school owners by providing them a conducive atmosphere to run their schools.
“The issue of fees in the name of taxes and others may not help them to grow,” he said.
A total of 36 students graduated from the
school.
