Principal stresses importance of early years pre- school system

Principal, Avi-Cenna International School, Mr. David Ogburn, has stressed the need to expose children between two – three years to early education in order to give them solid foundation.

Ogburn said this in an interview with The Daily Times on the unveiling of a model Early Years Pre- School and Nursery department of the school which was recently commissioned by the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode.

According to Ogburn, the vision is to raise the early learning childcare provision in Avi-Cenna to new heights as the system offers an opportunity to engage and stimulate a deeper interest in learning for pupils thereby laying a solid foundation for entry into primary school.

“Education is much more than what is taught in the classroom. Children learn from their community on how to behave, they also learn from the school environment. The Department boasts of seven distinct areas as well as a multi-purpose area for messy work each offering the pupils sensory-packed learning zones”, he said.

Ogburn said the whole area is themed around a street scene with brightly decorated shops including realistic street furniture, adding that the school is committed to continuous improvement and to creating an enabling environment for all the pupils.

He reiterated that the idea has to do with improvement in facilities and the way the school engages its pupils in teaching areas especially where there is need to develop such as how to control their emotions as well as the way they interact with other children.

“At this stage, they learn through variety of methods not expected of normal secondary school students where the teacher stands in front of the class. We inculcate a sense of play into them, they learn to use their body for coordination, they learn to socialise and communicate”, he said.

Children who pass through this stage, he said, have more emotional stability over others as well as some basic introduction to academics and basic counting methodologies.

On the area of Corporate Social Responsibility, Ogburn said Avi-Cenna school recently installed a new Domestic Science laboratory at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital as well as Oxygen Supply System to Ikeja High School, adding that the school also gets its students involved in charity works such as provision for orphanage homes especially during festive period.

He urged schools to teach all religions as a comparative subject to cover all aspects of religion which according to him is a better way to teach children the differences among the religions which will make them more appreciative and more tolerant of one another’s religion.