My dad insists I read articles on first class graduates regularly, says Abioye

https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Abioye-100x100.jpg

Abioye an indigene of Osun State, made A1 in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, English Language, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Catering Craft, Civic Education and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Fifteen-year-old Ikeoluwa Abioye, who scored A1 in all the nine subjects she wrote in the 2017 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), was recently celebrated and honoured by her alma mater, Starfield Schools, Iju, Lagos.

Abioye an indigene of Osun State, made A1 in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, English Language, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Catering Craft, Civic Education and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

She also scored 305 in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The breakdown of the result shows that she scored 78 in Mathematics, 74 in Physics, 72 in English Language and 81 in Chemistry.

Abioye, in a chat with The Guardian, said her school’s competitive learning environment, father’s routine mentoring and personal target, launched her to spotlight.

The soft-spoken teenager who dreams to study Computer Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or Harvard University, if sponsored, therefore appealed to Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola and other good spirited Nigerians to support and help her achieve her academic goals.

She said:“ I am indeed glad that God helped me to achieve this wonderful feat. My mates call me a book warm, but I know I’m not, because I play when I have to. But in every lecture I received, I go extra mile to seek in-depth understanding from my teachers. I read regularly even when it is not yet examination period. Also my dad played a role, he buys newspapers for me and encourages my siblings and I to read success stories of fist class graduates.  If I can get sponsorship from my state governor, I would love to go to MIT or Harvard to study Computer Engineering.”

Abioye said scoring A1 in all the subjects had been her target from the onset adding that her school’s learning environment coupled with regular counsel from the Director of Studies that 9As is achievable helped her in attaining the feat.

On his part, the highly elated Director of Studies, Mr. Chris Eigbe, described Abioye as calm and unassuming saying she won several academic awards while in school. He also commended the teachers’ commitment and dedication to duty, urging school owners to endeavour and make teachers welfare a priority.

He said: “We embarked on a project three years ago, tagged: ‘No Child is Left Behind.’ What informed the project was our realisation that parents desire to see their children perform excellently. So we called for a meeting involving the parents and teachers, where we made our project known to all. We discouraged parents from giving them phones, ipad, watching movies and being on social media regularly, we charged them to join the school and focus their attention on academic.

“And so first year into the project, we recorded 8As as the highest, the second year we recorded 9As, two of our candidates made 9As and this year we have another 9As.  Our goal is that in the coming year we should be able to produce 10 9As.”

Counselling schools that still engages in examination malpractices to desist from such, he said: “You are not only cheating the child, you are also cheating the parents and the nation. If you prepare your children well and you have strong synergy with parents, there is no need for exam malpractice.

Her elated mum, Mrs. Kehinde Abioye said, “I was speechless, I was in the bank when I received the call and I called my husband immediately, and we were extremely happy. She is so serious minded in her academics that she does not eat beyond 6 pm on the premise that it will make her sleep since she wants to read. That became a thug of war in the family. She is the first child, setting a track record for her younger ones. Despite the fact they are all girls, their father is always on their neck encouraging them to study hard.”