The Special Youth Leadership Foundation (TSF), a privately funded social impact organization, has inspired 300 secondary school students through its 2021 Career Day Programme.
The programme held on June 17, 2021, at the Lagos City Senior College, Yaba is an initiative of The Foundation’s mentorship programme where professionals in different fields talk to school students about their careers.
One major setback with the current system of learning in Nigeria is the lack of practicality or semblance of reality outside the theoretical teachings in the classroom. This produces students who have an idea or notion of how things should be but who are ignorant of reality.
Another problem is the notion of “professional courses”. Nigerians refer to some courses as more respectable and prestigious, therefore parents force children to study these courses even when they have neither the interest nor capability to support such choices.
“Through the Career Day 2021, we were able to reach 300 students and inspire them to dream big and work hard in order to achieve excellence in their chosen fields. We also wanted to show them examples of people in their community they can aspire to be like if they remain focused on their education,” said Seyi Akinwale, founder, TSR.
Akinwale also added that they focused sessions on important life skills and which they believe is an investment in their lives that will lead to a generational impact.
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The programme impacted the lives of students in SS 2. The children were inspired by professionals from different fields in topics including Career Choice: Your Interest& Opportunities in Technology, Finance and Humanities, what to do while awaiting admission, Citizenship and patriotism and Goal Setting and Decision making.
Chukwuma Nwanze, a volunteer, expressed that the Career Day was amazing and that he was privileged to head one of the sessions with the students.
“I noticed their hunger for learning amongst other things; they want to be better and do better in the society. It is my hope that what we did here today will have a lasting impact. I also hope that the Special Foundation organises more programs like this and I am always ready to support the good work of the foundation,” he said.
At the end of the different sessions, the children were more confident that their dreams are valid and they are focused on excelling and remaining in school to ensure they have a better future. They were given exercise books and snacks. The foundation will be renovating blocks of classrooms for the host school.
