The Chairman, Board of Directors, GTBank has urged students to “stand out” in the highly competitive global environment in order to be noticed for their unique offering to the world. She gave this advice while speaking at this year’s 22 nd Founders Day ceremony of the Olashore International School at the Oba Okunade Sijuwade hall of the school, in Illoko-Ijesha, Osun state.
“Given the opportunity you have as products of this great institution, described by CNN as the ‘Pride of Africa’, go the extra mile. The world is getting more complex and sophisticated. You need something different to stand you out. You need passion and inner strength. Also hard work and integrity need to show in whatever you do.”
She advised the students to “appreciate the time you are born into, take advantages of the choices, freedom and liberty, appreciate diversity around you and pick from people who are different from you. You must always do your best so that in the face of any opportunity, people can vouch for you”.
She also advised the Olashore students to make their parents proud considering the huge investment they are making in their education by focusing on their studies in order to become the best at what they do.
The Chairman, Board of Governors of the School, Prince Bimbo Olashore explained that the Founders Day is used for maintaining the values on which the school was built.
“Olashore Founders Day is a day set aside to honour the founder of the school, Oba Oladele Olashore. It is also a day we use to retain the values on which the school stands for.”
He said that Olashore is at the “forefront of providing quality education, comparable to any school anywhere in the world. We teach our students 21st century leadership education in order to equip them with the skills to make them stand out in the 21st century.”
“The Unique Selling Preposition of the school is first the good and quality education, and high academic standard. But we build an all-round student by bringing in activities such as drama, music, sports amongst others. We also work on values of leadership, citizenship, honesty. We imbibe in students discipline and values that will help children build their future”.
Mr Derek Smith, the principal of Olashore College explained that the school trains its students to be effective in the society using 21 st century technologies. He said that the school was established as a social change project centered on leadership and making a positive impact on the society with 21st century competencies.
“Children need to read and pass exams, and so we train them using 21st century technologies to pass their examinations. Getting good exam results is good. It’s something we have always and will always want, but we want learning to go beyond the classroom. It is really about what we are doing to ensure students are effective in the society and making a positive impact in the society”.
Established in 1994 on 60 acres of land, Olashore International School is a co-educational school, which offers high caliber education in a wide range of subjects at Junior Secondary, Senior Secondary and a University Foundation Programme in partnership with Lancaster University.
Over the past 20 years, the school has succeeded in creating a community of world class services around the school including a first class hotel, a golf course and Leadership training centre that all combine to give the school a unique identity. The school is particularly appealing to discerning Nigerians at home and abroad, as well as expatriates residing in Nigeria, who desire a school with a strong value system, demonstrable track record and a clear sense of purpose.
