Training: ASUBEB Urges Student Leaders to Imbibe Skills, Virtues of Good Leadership

By Praise Chinecherem

Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB has advised students leaders in secondary schools to lead by example in exhibiting essential values of a good leader.

Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Awka, Dr. Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi gave the advice at a one-day Joint Leadership Training programme for newly elected School Prefects across the public and mission-public secondary schools in the State.

The event, held at Army Day Secondary School, Army Barracks, Onitsha, was jointly organised by ASUBEB and the Post Primary Schools Service Commission, PPSSC, all in Awka.

The training is aimed at equipping the student leaders with requisite leadership skills and values that would help them in their leadership roles.

Nwadinobi listed the essential values to include empathy, teamwork, honesty, fairness, integrity and humility.

She however warned the students leaders against bullying their fellow students while discharging your duties.

“The leadership programme will not only help the newly elected prefects to know what it takes to be a leader among their contemporaries, but will also remind them to lead by example in exhibiting the essential values of a good leader.

“As a student leader, you must desist from bullying your fellow students while discharging your duties”, she cautioned.

Describing the students as key beneficiaries of huge investments in the education sector, ASUBEB boss acknowledged Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s great commitment to delivering quality and free education for children in the state.

Also speaking, Chairman, PPSSC, Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu noted that the leadership training was to prepare the newly elected prefects on how to carry out their duties responsibly so as to be worthy role models in their behaviour and service.

She stressed that values remained the foundation of meaningful leadership, appealing to the school authorities to continuously monitor the Prefects and to promptly correct them when they deviate.

Principal, Army Day Secondary School, Onitsha, Mrs Chinyere Okafor welcomed the guests and appreciated the State School Management Board for their desire to train the newly elected prefects.

Responding on behalf of the student leaders, Senior Prefect of Army Day Secondary School, Onitsha, Master Kingsley Emesie and that of Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Onitsha, Miss Chidimma Chukwuka promised to abide by the extant rules and regulations guiding the conduct of student leadership under the State School Management Board.

The event climaxed with oath-taking by the Prefects featured lectures by facilitators, including Rev. Fr. Dr. Celestine Okafor who spoke on “Values as Catalysts of Societal Transformation” and Rev. Canon Emefo Uche who spoke on “Punishment and Their Uses.”

Other speakers were Dr. Nneka Agbasianya who spoke on “Prefects and Time Management” and Obijindu Rebecca Nwannem who spoke on “School Functionaries and Crisis Management”.