Ololade Adeyanju/
Parents seeking a school where children can get all-round education and development in a highly elevating environment with modern amenities have been striking gold at Goldvalley School in River Valley Estate, Ojodu-Berger.
After a six-month Covid-19 induced recession, the school is back in session with standard healthcare facilities and teachers who are worth their weight in gold.
In its 26 years of existence, Goldvalley School has lived up to the purpose for which it was established, going by the provision of a sound all-round education to children who came through its doors. After receiving basic education at Goldvalley School, the pupils have turned out as leading lights in different fields all over the world.
“We establish in our children a foundation of sound moral value that will be tremendous asset to their lives in future,” says the proprietress, Yeye Olabisi Onafuwa, a highly trained and experienced educationist.
Located at 14, Samuel Onafuwa Close, River-Valley Estate, Ojodu-Berger on the outskirts of Lagos and Ogun states, Goldvalley opened its doors to the first set of pupils in September 1994. It is a school that caters for Pre-Nursery, Nursery, and Primary School education.
Mrs. Onafuwa, who established the school, was the pioneer Head Teacher and remains the proprietress of the school with Mr. Odeyemi Olajide as the incumbent and third Head Teacher since 2012.
COVlD-19 and Its Effect on School
The coronavirus pandemic across the world led to an abrupt end to the 2019/2020 academic year, thereby scrapping a whole term in the session.
The closure of schools for a period of six months brought about financial difficulty in paying staff salaries and huge expenses were incurred in putting in place COVlD-19 preventive measures.
Observing Covid-19 protocols at Goldvalley School.
Readiness of the School in Safeguarding Children from COVlD-19
The school resumed with the provision of wash hand basins in all classes with soap and running water.
It has also established a standard sickbay manned by a qualified nurse to be used as isolation unit should there be a need for it.
Preparatory to the resumption, the authorities fumigated the entire environment and classrooms.
On resumption, it provided infrared thermometer for temperature check for all who come into the school, and there is hand sanitizer in all classes and necessary places.
The authorities have also enforced the compulsory use of face mask by all who visit the school, as daily education on COVlD-19 preventive measures are given.
The rule of social distancing is observed in the classroom sitting arrangements.
Feeding:
Lunch in school since the beginning of the term has been sumptuous. It has been outsourced to a reliable caterer, and pupils who eat school lunch always look forward to eating the nicely packed lunch every day.
The Way Forward
Goldvalley School says it intends to keep and maintain the high standard that it has achieved so far in providing a safe environment against COVID-19 by maintaining a high level of hygiene; keeping to all the COVID-19 guidelines; constant reminder to parents to always feed children with food that would boost their immune system; collaboration with educational bodies nationally and internationally; training and re-training of teachers, and improving on e-learning.
The New Things Done to Improve Learning
The school today is noted for its high standard of teaching and learning procedures. However, it is constantly improving in the following areas:
Reviewing the curriculum to accommodate COVID-19 guidelines; compulsory use of teaching aid in classrooms; the provision of learning support service, and periodical training of staff.
