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Raising champions: How Mrs Bola Olusa’s commitment to excellence transformed JSS Dutse Alhaji 2
Mrs Bola Olusa, a Deputy Director with the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), FCT, and the Principal of Junior Secondary School, Dutse Alhaji 2, is a mother of three and married to Dr Olusa Olusegun. She trained as an agriculturist and teacher. Mrs Olusa’s teaching career began in 1992 as a PTA teacher, and she was later employed by the government in 1994. She has been promoted through various stages and posted to different schools. She became the pioneer principal of JSS Dutse Alhaji 2 in 2021, when the school was established.
In this interview with Shalom Oludele, she discusses the factors contributing to her students’ success at the 2024 UBEB FCT Head-to-Head Debate Reality Show and expresses her passion for the teaching profession.
How much fulfilment have you achieved so far in your profession?
Teaching is my life, and I feel fulfilled doing it, especially when I see my students succeed in their academics.
Tell us about the Championship Trophy.
Some of my pupils participated in the 2024 Head-to-Head Debate Reality Show. It is a programme organised annually by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) for public and private junior secondary schools across the six area councils of the FCT. It serves as a platform to address the issue of out-of-school children in the FCT by encouraging them to return to school.
About 78 schools in the FCT participated in the debate. It progressed from one stage to another, with the participants camped for about 10 days. My students reached the final and emerged as winners. Out of 78 schools, we came first. Consequently, the children who represented this school are now ambassadors for out-of-school children.
How were you able to lead your pupils to victory in the debate, considering your school is relatively new?
Yes, the school is only about three years old. We just graduated our first set of pupils who sat the last BECE. However, it is not always about how long, but how well. From the inception of JSS Dutse Alhaji 2, we laid a solid foundation to build successful and academically sound students. So, preparing the students for the debate was not a major challenge because they already had the right attitude towards their academics, as we had taught them. We encouraged them, pushed them a little more, and they were ready to give their best.
My school not only won the debate but also achieved a 100% pass rate in the last BECE, with all our students passing without needing a re-sit.
How did you achieve a 100% pass rate in the last BECE?
Let me remind you that all government schools have highly qualified teachers, equipped with the best and most up-to-date teaching practices. We have what it takes to produce academically and morally sound students because we are trained for this purpose.
In JSS Dutse Alhaji 2, our teachers are dedicated and always ready to work. Although the school is relatively young, we make relentless efforts to teach our pupils within the government-approved time and curriculum, fulfilling our responsibilities as government employees.
Our pupils understand that failure is not accepted in this school. From the time they are newly admitted, we lay a strong foundation for them and ensure they maintain it throughout their time with us. This is why I can boldly say, by God’s grace, that my pupils can compete with other school children anywhere in Nigeria.
Another strategy we employ is using past exam questions to coach our pupils. No exam is set outside the syllabus. So, we leverage this knowledge to familiarise our pupils with past questions. The more past questions a student can solve, the better prepared they are for any exam. We use this question-and-answer approach to prepare our pupils for their exams. From JSS 2, they are already being prepared for BECE, and I believe this significantly contributed to our success in the last BECE, which was our first.
Moreover, the mock exam taken by JSS 3 pupils before the main exams allowed us to assess their performance and level of preparedness. We then put in extra effort in the subjects where they did not perform as expected. The mock exams also encouraged the pupils to work harder, as they already knew that failure is not tolerated here.
What are your challenges here?
Well, there is no starting point without a challenge. The government is doing its best, and we are complementing its efforts to ensure the rate of out-of-school children is reduced to the bare minimum by making the best use of available resources.
As I mentioned earlier, we are just about three years old. Challenges may arise, but we are able to overcome them. The government is actually doing its best. We actively involve the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in all our developmental strides. We hold meetings with them regularly, and they cooperate with us.
How do you engage your teachers?
My teachers here are my colleagues, working together to achieve our common goal. I see them as my sisters and brothers, and I believe we are on good terms.
Advice to teachers
I believe in the spirit of excellence, which has been a driving force for me. I pass this on to my pupils, whom I consider as my children. I am always ready to offer any assistance within my power to help them achieve their best in academics.
I do not think that my children are better than my pupils. With this mentality, I can relate to them well, and they have come to love, respect, and obey me. So, I advise all teachers to do the same.
Our mission is to empower these children to hold their heads high wherever they go.
When you discipline a child, ensure they understand why they are being disciplined, so they can accept it in good faith. This will have a more positive impact on their lives.
Vice Principal, Administration of JSS Dutse Alhaji, Mr James Michael Omeize, Speaks
How would you assess your students?
I would say they are doing great academically and morally. They are better than when they started, and they keep improving daily.
The school started with a plan, and although there were challenges, our able principal was able to coordinate her staff to tackle the issues that arose at the initial stage.
Given the diverse backgrounds of our students, we have inculcated the necessary discipline in our pupils, and they are cooperating with us. Discipline has been our watchword, and we have successfully guided the children to where we want them to be.
We are shaping the children here to be responsible individuals, irrespective of the backgrounds they come from. This is a learning environment, so we ensure they learn both academically and morally. Once they are registered as our students, our job is to make sure they adapt to our system.
All the teachers here work hand-in-hand with the principal to ensure we give the best to our pupils.
HOD Mathematics, Mrs Lilian Iyamu Ogbudu, Comments on the Students’ Performance in Mathematics
How would you rate your pupils’ performance in Mathematics?
They are performing exceptionally well. In this school, we have made concerted efforts to change the narrative that Mathematics is a difficult subject. We help our pupils see it as just another subject. From JSS 1, we make Mathematics very practical. We engage in critical thinking, which has been helping our pupils solve mathematical problems even without supervision.
The most qualified teachers are found in government schools. We have all the resources required to teach our subjects, and we are trained to effectively transfer knowledge to these children. No subject is more difficult than another; it all depends on how the subject is taught to the students.
Mrs Martha Duniya Shuaibu, English Teacher, JSS Dutse Alhaji 2, Speaks on the Willingness of Their Pupils to Learn
Your students’ spoken English is impeccable. How did you achieve this?
We are willing to teach, and our students are willing to learn. This has made it possible for us to achieve great results within a short period.
Our principal provided the necessary motivation, as she does not accept anything less than excellence. This attitude has been transferred to our pupils, and they, in turn, are willing to work with us.
Participants of the Head-to-Head Debate Share Their Experience
Exodus Joshua, Masichukwu Faith Ndoka, and C. Miracle, participants in the Head-to-Head debate, are living evidence of hard work and dedication.
Masichukwu Faith Udoma commented that their success in the debate was due to confidence and self-belief.
“We have always been taught in this school to believe in ourselves and that we can achieve anything. So, we were confident in our abilities and believed we could do it.”
Who taught you that?
My teacher.
