(Spotlight) Ogefash interview with the Assistant Headteacher of Kerith Brook School: Mrs. Opako “The ability to resolve parents issues gives us an edge!”

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Mrs. Apako is currently the Assistant headteacher of Kerith Brook School. She assists the headteacher in the discharge of duties. She is the next in command after the headteacher which is why the headteacher delegates tasks to her when there are lots of things on her desk.

She has been in the school for about a decade. She started in the year 2011 as a class teacher and rose to become the assistant headteacher of the school in the year 2018. 

Mrs. Opako is well learned and equipped with skills capable of building interest in children. She is gentle but don’t take her gentleness for ineffectiveness. In her gentle nature, the school has witnessed lots of growth. 

According to Mrs. Opako, the most rewarding part of her job is the ability to solve whatever issue parents bring to her table. 

Read excerpts from the interview below:

Ogefash: Can you tell us more about Kerith Brook School?

Mrs. Opako: Kerith Brook School was established in 2007, first of all as New Heritage Baptist Church (NHBC) Precious Jewel School. Later, during the school’s registration at the Ministry of Education, we had to change the name to Kerith Brook because Precious Jewel had already been used. 

The initial essence of establishing the school is to help the community/society to educate the less privileged among them as well as children of those who don’t have a place to put their children. Hence, the reason we started as Crèche. 

As a matter of fact, the actual idea of the school was just to own a crèche. However, based on the quality teaching offered in the school, parents started demanding more in terms of pre-school and primary school, and so, they were included in the school. 

They figured out that the children who finished from this school were performing so well; so they wanted continuity in this school rather than another school. They are even clamoring for secondary school now. 

Kerith Brook School is a Faith-based school. As a Christian school, we teach the knowledge and reverence of God. These children are thought good morals; the things they should do and shouldn’t do.

Ogefash: What does your job entail and how demanding is the job?

Mrs. Apako: The job is quite demanding, but then, I make out time to do my secondary duties. I check what the other teachers are doing in their various classes. It is not something that takes the whole day. I just apportion some time off to do that and return to the office. 

Ogefash: How Tech-Driven is Kerith Brook School? 

Mrs. Opako: We are hundred percent tech-driven. We brought in an ICT company to handle that aspect.

Ogefash: “Primary schools are the cause of half-baked graduates” Any contrary opinion?

Mrs. Opako: Yes and No! 

Not everyone that went to primary school is half-baked. The serious ones still do very well even if it is a public school. There are medical doctors and lawyers among these people who after completing their primary school, proceed to secondary school, and then the university.

I would say capability depends on an individual too and not just the school. Everyone may not grow at the same time, so we take them individually. 

We don’t teach curriculum; we teach depending on the ability of a child. 

There are three types of learners; slow learners, fast learners/ high flyers, and those coming up. If a child doesn’t understand, we don’t move to the next stage till the child understands it. 

In essence, we don’t introduce a new topic to them till the child understands. Our motto is “No child is left out.” 

Ogefash: Free marks in private schools

Mrs.Opako: We don’t dash marks in Kerith Brook. In fact, during exams, the gap between students would make anyone that walks into the school think it is a university.

Ogefash: Why should parents opt for Kerith Brook?

Mrs. Opako: Our last invitation to sports activities in a school, we came out top. Our school is also affordable; we compete well anywhere in the world. At times, we move a child to a higher class because of the performances.

Ogefash: How friendly are the school fees?

Mrs. Opako: Kerith Brook’s fees are pocket-friendly compared to other schools. Our tuition is around 50k

Ogefash: How to enroll a child in the school?

Mrs. Opako: You can contact us at our location: 

18 Femi Adekunle Street, Off Fola-Agoro Somolu, Lagos.

P.O Box 7899

Phone no: 08120518252, 08056032420

Email: pjschool_2013@yahoocom

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