Educational and Value Systems Shifts in Lagos

Parents, guardians, policy makers and other stakeholders in the education sector who have been longing for the appraisal of the quality of private secondary education in Lagos State need not search any further as their concerns have been addressed by BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU) through the publication of Lagos Good Schools Guide 2017.

The Lagos Good Schools Guide, a comprehensive report produced through an extensive research undertaken by BRIU, has unveiled Landmark College Ikorodu, St. Gregory's College Obalende, Atlantic Hall, Epe, St. Finbarr's College, Akoka and GJS College Ikorodu among the topmost private secondary schools in Lagos State.

Landmark College scored 93 percent; St. Gregory's, 79 percent; Atlantic Hall 78 percent; Finbarr's, 75 percent while GJS College also in Ikorodu scored 75 percent which effectively made them among the schools in the Excellent Group by our ranking.

Sacred Heart College, Dowen College, and Ronik Comprehensive High School tied at 71 percent just as Effortswill Academy, Queensland Academy, Topflight College and Dansol High School each scored 70 percent.

The exercise which lasted for three months saw BRIU team administer questionnaires to over 400 certified private secondary schools in the state.

Eventually, 307 private secondary schools made the list. Schools were ranked on four grade scales depending on their weighted scores. The grade scales are the Excellent Group, Very Good, Good and Satisfactory. The weighted score of the schools in the 'Excellent Group' ranges from 70 to 100 percent. The 'Very Good' graded schools score between 60 and 69 percent. 

The schools ranked as 'Good' score between 50 and 69 percent while those considered as 'Satisfactory' score between 25 and 49 percent.

It will interest you to know that BRIU embarked on the exercise in order to address the concerns raised by parents, guardians and other stakeholders, concerning the quality of educational services being offered by private secondary schools in the state and in particular, what makes each school unique.

Criteria employed by the BRIU team include average performance in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the transparency parameters have eight sections some of which are the availability of an official website, facilities, profiles of teachers, availability of information on WAEC performance and the presence of school calendar.

Others are information on school fees, admission form and fees as well as availability of an online payment platform.