…builds 70-hectare campus in Lagos
Nigeria’s international school system is on the verge of an evolutionary makeover. A leading UK institution with 400 years of heritage of premium British education is set to berth in Lagos.
Charterhouse UK, one of the foremost British independent schools, is set to open its first African school in Lagos and has constructed an expensive 70-hectare campus in Ogombo, Lekki, to signal its intent.
The Charterhouse Lagos is keen to redefine international education standards across the continent, with Lagos, Nigeria, as its touchpoint. The school is preparing to open its doors to students in September 2024, promising to build a new generation of young global leaders.
Cutting-edge technology and innovation
Charterhouse Lagos is building a campus to enhance students’ learning experiences and equip them for today’s robust tech and innovation-driven world. The classrooms feature interactive boards and screens, with each student owning a device.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is strategically incorporated into the curriculum, with dedicated rooms for coding, robotics, and design thinking, empowering the students to bring their ideas to life.
The school will offer project-based learning and interactive digital platforms to keep students engaged, aligning with contemporary educational philosophy. Nigerian researchers Hamed, Adewusi, and Unachukwu assert that STEM education fosters critical thinking, adaptability, and a passion for exploration. They emphasise that it represents a transformative journey toward innovation, inclusivity, and resilience, crucial for navigating and shaping the future.
Complementing their perspective, Kendal C. Carter from Dominican University in California, affirms the importance of STEM education in elementary settings. He states that students can grow in their academic and social-emotional learning through STEM education.
The study postulates that STEM learning increases student collaboration and the real-world applications of in-class learning. In addition, teachers who were part of the survey also agreed that STEM adds value to their classroom and increases productivity.
Similarly, a study by the Yeti Academy, a STEM education provider in Washington, also echoed that STEM education enables students to practice problem-solving through immersive science and engineering projects. As students explore the world and learn how things work, they develop critical thinking skills that will help them throughout their lives.
Integration of British, Nigerian education standards
Charterhouse Lagos is rethinking education for a new generation of Nigerian students by integrating British educational excellence into the rich Nigerian culture. With its acceptable blended curriculum, the school gives students an education rooted in Nigerian realities and in tune with global requirements. Elizabeth Okhakhu, a seasoned educationist, argues that a blended curriculum can enhance learning outcomes and increase flexibility and choice, ensuring that schools maintain high standards of teaching and learning.
Focus on holistic education
Charterhouse Lagos’ holistic approach to education focuses on character development, leadership skills, multilingual skills, and overall wellbeing to inspire excellence beyond grades. Core values like courtesy, respect, integrity, and service are essential to the school’s ideology.
Charterhouse Lagos’ learning ethos ensures that its students achieve academic success and become responsible and ethical leaders. Children encouraged to have a respectful voice are believed to be more engaged in learning and better prepared to succeed. The school’s leadership aims to produce students known for being respectful, tolerant, resilient, and emotionally intelligent. In a recent interview with Tatler Magazine, the renowned British Educator Sir Anthony Seldon spoke on the benefits of holistic learning and affirmed that holistic education is about balance, highlighting that “holistic education is good education”. He underscores that the key to achieving holistic education is creating a learning environment that fosters curiosity, human interaction, problem-solving, and relationship-building.
First class facilities
Charterhouse Lagos promises an impressive array of facilities to make students’ educational experience all-inclusive. The campus facilities include a 400-meter outdoor athletics track, a standard NBA basketball arena, and a state-of-the-art aquatics centre. These facilities support fitness activities, artistic expression, and interpersonal relationships.
Impact on local and regional economy
The school has set its sights on creating unparalleled social impact within the immediate community by stimulating economic vitality and cultural exchange, providing employment opportunities for local talent, and attracting a diverse cohort of international students and staff. The school has partnered with leading service providers like Evercare Hospitals and Ruff n Tumble to provide resident healthcare in the school and uniforms for students, respectively. It is also set to work with Pan African Catering Services, a leading food and catering company, to provide healthy meals in the school.
Conclusion
With the fusion of world-class facilities, a uniquely blended curriculum, cutting-edge technology, and a commitment to character development, Charterhouse Lagos sets new standards for educational excellence and is on its way to transforming the standard of education in Africa.
Charterhouse Lagos opens its doors for its inaugural cohort in September 2024 and is determined to raise academic high achievers and future forward-thinking students. Charterhouse Lagos stands on the brink of impacting Nigeria’s educational landscape and ensuring robust socioeconomic development through training talents and creating a global citizenship culture.
