One of the household names in education in the Niger Delta, the Archdeacon Brown Education Centre, popularly, popularly called ABEC, named after a popular Anglican Bishop who died years ago, has been in the news in the oil region for marking 20 years. was established on the 10th of January, in the year 2000. Now, the owners of ABEC say their students are making Nigeria proud in most universities in the world and have impressed the highly specialized US Navy.
Background
The executive director of ABEC grou, Ibim Semenitari, former commissioner of information in Rivers State and one time acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who addressed a press briefing to kick-start the anniversary, gave the background.
“From a humble beginning, that first seed that was planted 20 years ago, that leap of faith known as ABEC Nursery and Primary School beginning with two pupils, has like the proverbial mustard seed, grown into a phenomenon known as ABEC group of schools with a population of nearly a thousand students, across six schools.
“Born out of the desire to provide a model as to what education should be, ABEC Group of Schools has continued to shine as a beacon of hope, excellence, quantitative and qualitative education, and a platform upon which tomorrow’s leaders strive and thrive for excellence.
“From its nursery, ABEC group of schools is steadily towering towards its apogee breaking new grounds every step of the way. It now has six schools: Archdeacon Brown Education Centre Nursery and Primary School; Archdeacon Brown Education Centre Secondary School (Boarding); Mary- Virginia Nursery and Primary School; Christie Toby Inclusive Education Centre; Archdeacon Brown Advanced Level Centre; and Archdeacon Brown Education Centre Secondary School (Day).
“The nursery school, regarded in the group as the mustard seed, has continued to evolve in leaps and bounds. It officially opened on the 10th of January 2000 and dedicated by the then bishop of the Niger Delta diocese, the reverend, G.H. Pepple, the school has been a perfect example in all ramifications. From the traditional school examination to various competitions, ABEC Nursery and Primary School has continued to be the same story of outstanding success.
“Some of the qualities which rank the school top among its contemporaries at both the national and international scenes are: Robust academic content which comprises the trio of Nigerian, British and American curricular; Adequate and modern learning facilities that aid the transfer of knowledge and learning; beautiful and conducive learning environment; qualified and highly trained and self motivated staff; good remuneration packages for staff; being compliant with statutory and regulatory standards for educational institutions; having optimal stakeholders participation, involvement and intervention; adoption of modern technology in every facet of the organization; provision of opportunities for staff continuing education and career development; and rich and appropriate mix of programmes and activities which boost the holistic development of learners and staff alike.
“The school is known in the region for awards and championships especially in Mathematics. The secondary school is known for posting distinctions in Further Mathematics and other science subjects despite zero tolerance to exam malpractice. The school paints the world red with first class graduates.
“ABEC has produced students that beat their peers in the best universities around the world, including those now in the US Navy due to outstanding performances and those that are now on scholarship in the best universities due to high grades in their first and second degrees. She glorified the name of the lord for ABEC to clock 20 years with outstanding performances.”
Founder, Christie Toby
He mother, the founder and managing director, Christy Toby said: “I am excited that this experiment is now 20 years old. We are actually celebrating God’s faithfulness because when we look back and see our kids now raising their own families, we feel good. There is still much to contribute to education because it is still the only way to eradicate poverty, to burn the excess energy in the youths towards better results.
“ABEC is a mini Nigeria because we have students, parents and staff members from all parts of Nigeria, Christians and Muslims. We have parents from all parts of the world; a blend of Nigeria, British, American. It is a detribalized centre. Uniting Nigeria is doable, if government can team up with the private sector. Lets respect and appreciate each other. ABEC is ready to give what it takes to deliver quality education.”
Problems of public service
Speaking on why people with great initiatives like her usually ran away to the private sector, she said; “There is no continuity of work or initiative. There is redtapism that does not allow good ideas to be nurtured. I tried to introduce some ideas but was discouraged. They see everything as not doable.
“I left the public service to prove that my ideas were doable. They always press you down in the public service.’
Name of School
On how she chose the name, her father’s name; “My father chose a profession for me (teaching) but not for any of his other children. So, at a point before he died, he asked me if I forgave him. I asked him for what? He said for choosing a career for me. I said, oh no, that I was happy and that I had even bought a plot of land. He asked to do what, I said to start my own school one day. He said oh, what name would you call it? I said, your name of course. He shouted happily and blessed me. He said he saw I was a natural teacher.
“My father always saw my husband as and called him his son. He valued my husband and my husband supports the name of the school and is very happy with it.
How we handle cultism: “We monitor the children. If we notice strange behaviour, we investigate and if reasonable ground exists, we suspend the one, and on extreme cases, expulsion is applied. Also, we make our rules clear, but we take no exception. Cultism starts with traces. You follow it that time. Of course, children will be children, but if they try, they find there is no way. There are hostel parents who live right with them. They observe them, do their assignments, etc.”
Welfare of teachers: “There is salary scheme and condition of service clear to anybody coming in. There is pension scheme too. Our teachers are happy and they put in their best. They can confirm this behind us. Good education is here, and that is the best for your children.”
Why blind students do well: “They have few distractions. That is why one wrote WAEC from SS2 and made outstanding results (As and Bs). There is an erroneous conception that studying with disabled students will soon disable you. Its not true at all. Rather, it helps both to develop better and fuller. It also helps normal students to understand sign language. In ABEC, every child must learn sign language as another additional language.”
Gabriel Toby
WE SAY NO TO ACADEMIC ROBOTICS
We have a very competent team who go beyond the call of duty. It is about adding the blocks. We are proud of what we have done. We produce self-confident scholars and we have zero-tolerance for exam fraud, yet, they record distinctions (A1s) easily. What we have are people with high grades and self-confidence. They are at home with computers and digital works. They are the ones teaching their grandparents. We are farming humans.
Swimming: We ensure that a student cannot study in Rivers State without being a swimmer. Music is also important in the school. We say no to enclosement mentality; no to academic robotics. Its important to develop other talents in the children.
ABEC is a top school with moderate fees. Profit is not the basic motivation. So we charge the lowest fees for schools in our class.
Future
Semenitari said digital classrooms and virtual classrooms to be linked to schools around the world are the next steps. “We produce students that graduate with first class in universities around the world. We build a culture of giving back.
“Discipline and moral strength are our core values. This place is centre for external examinations and scholarship examinations. With 250 computers at a time, there is steady light.”
Challenges;
The MD, supported by the chairman, mentioned the major challenge facing the education sector or genuine education investors as the growing appetite for cheating, fraud and examination malpractice. She said most Nigerians these days would hardly trust any transaction that did not take care of fraud in the form of sorting, exam malpractice and cheating. She said the school’s insistence on zero-malpractice and zero-payment for sorting has scared away many schools, though she said it has brought good name to the school.
They mentioned other challenges as parents who prefer high fees to show class, funds to continue high quality education, proliferation of schools which has led to sub-standard schools that use ways and means to get high grades for students to the admiration of unsuspecting parents.
