EXPERT URGES PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR FUTURE CAREERS

A brand practitioner and education advocate, Dr Eddy A. Ademosu, has urged private school owners and education authorities to look beyond examination results and prepare students for the jobs, technologies and challenges they are likely to encounter in the future. He said rapid developments in artificial intelligence, automation and other technologies were changing the skills required in the workplace and making it necessary for schools to adapt their approach to education.

Ademosu made the call while delivering a public lecture during the 20th anniversary celebration of De-Dynamic Private Schools, Sango-Otta, Ogun State. Speaking on the theme, “From 2006 to 2026 and Beyond: Building Resilient Minds for a VUCA World,” he said students entering the workforce in coming years would face a significantly different environment from the one that existed when the school was founded in 2006.

He said schools should place greater emphasis on artificial intelligence literacy, creativity, critical thinking and emotional intelligence, alongside conventional academic learning. Ademosu particularly encouraged the institution to teach students how to use AI responsibly and productively instead of simply restricting access to the technology. He also recommended greater exposure to prompt engineering and other digital skills that could improve students’ ability to adapt to technological changes.

The education advocate further called for stronger coding clubs, debate societies, entrepreneurship programmes and counselling services in schools. He urged institutions to establish partnerships with technology hubs and educational technology companies so students could gain practical experience and become more familiar with emerging opportunities. He also stressed the importance of teaching young people to examine information, assess evidence and understand sources and motives in an environment increasingly affected by misinformation and online fraud.

Ademosu commended De-Dynamic Private Schools for surviving economic difficulties, the COVID-19 pandemic, insecurity, policy changes and rising operational costs over its 20-year history. He said the school’s achievements should be measured not only by examination performance but also by the character, discipline, creativity and responsibility of its graduates. The school’s director, Dr Jide Bello, also reaffirmed its commitment to quality education and said the institution would continue strengthening its academic, moral and technological standards as it prepares students for the changing world.