On Monday, a fresh academic year dawned in Lagos State, as public schools across the six educational districts officially reopened for the 2025–2026 term. Leading the charge was the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli Balogun, who alongside a high-level monitoring team, made surprise inspections to ensure that the state’s resumption directive was being followed to the letter. What they found was encouraging: a strong turnout, visible commitment, and renewed hope for educational advancement in Nigeria’s most populous state.
Table of Contents
First Day Insights: Attendance, Tools, and Demonstrations of Support
At the start of the term, Mr Alli Balogun and his monitoring team visited several schools, including Dolphin Senior and Junior High School and Saint Paul’s Anglican Nursery and Primary School, both on Lagos Island. During these visits, the Commissioner handed over essential materials meant to boost both academic and vocational learning. Among the items presented were a standard oven, gas cooker and sewing machine—tools designed to strengthen home economics and vocational programmes in these schools.
He also distributed writing materials and other aids, underscoring the government’s resolve to not just mandate attendance, but also equip students and teachers with what they need to teach and learn effectively. Across the six education districts, similar gestures were made, creating a sense that this term is different in that tangible support is being paired with expectations of performance.
Expectations Set High: Discipline, Digital Literacy, and a Quality-Driven Curriculum
Speaking with journalists after the morning rounds, the Commissioner expressed satisfaction with what he saw: teachers and students mostly in place, classrooms opening, a visible readiness to resume academic routines. According to him, this level of participation was “a strong indication of the commitment of stakeholders to the state government’s education agenda.”
But Mr. Alli Balogun was clear that attendance is just the baseline. He laid out several expectations for the term:
- Students must return with positive attitudes, maintain discipline, be timely with assignments, and generally show dedication to their studies.
- Teachers must deliver the curriculum fully, work within the allotted timeframe, and adopt modern, internationally aligned methods of instruction.
- Digital literacy should no longer be an “extra”—especially now that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is moving increasingly towards Computer-Based Testing (CBT). Teachers are expected to integrate computer literacy into lesson plans to prepare students for this shift.
He also mentioned that a universal timetable for public schools would be issued soon. This is intended to ensure uniformity in teaching and learning across Lagos State, so that all students, irrespective of which school they attend, get comparable learning time and opportunity within the structure of the academic year, which is slated to span 13 weeks for the first term, from 15 September to 12 December.
Resource Management, Innovation & Growing Together
Beyond just materials and mandates, Mr Alli Balogun called upon school heads, administrators and teachers to be innovative and prudent in using the resources available to them. He urged creativity and accountability so that government efforts are meaningfully complemented rather than duplicated or wasted.
He emphasised that this session should be one marked by “discovery, growth and achievement.” Indeed, he sees collaboration—between government bodies, teachers, parents and the broader community—as essential to realising tangible improvements in learning outcomes. For him, the reopening is not merely going through the motions, but an opportunity to make lasting change, especially in adapting teaching practices for digital readiness and preparing students to compete on a global stage.
In his closing remarks during the inspection, the Commissioner extended best wishes to both students and teachers for a successful, productive, and enriching term.
Challenges & Opportunities: What Lies Ahead
While the first day of term brought optimism, Lagos State faces both familiar and new challenges as schools get back into full swing:
- Uniformity vs. Diversity: Lagos is large, diverse, and varied in its educational infrastructure. The promise of a universal timetable is a step toward standardisation, but adapting it to suit schools with different needs—urban vs. semi-urban, resource-rich vs. resource-challenged—will require flexibility and strong oversight.
- Infrastructure Gaps: Provision of vocational tools and home economics equipment is welcome. Yet for many schools, gaps remain: old classrooms, insufficient digital equipment, intermittent electricity, and limited internet access. Ensuring that tools are maintained, used properly, and paired with teacher training is essential.
- Teacher Training & Morale: Encouraged teaching methods must be backed by training and continuous professional development. For teachers to fully embrace digital instruction and modern pedagogies, they need not only devices but also ongoing support, seminars, feedback, and perhaps incentives.
- Monitoring & Accountability: Distributing materials is only as good as ensuring they reach classrooms, are put to use, and that outputs are measurable. The monitoring teams have a big role, but so do community stakeholders and school heads in maintaining transparency.
- Student Engagement & Equity: Beyond just being in school, students must be engaged, taught in ways that make sense, and assessed fairly. Also, students from disadvantaged backgrounds must not be left behind. Ensuring access to learning materials and resources will help, but so will attention to individual needs.
On the opportunity side, there is much for Lagos State to build on:
- Momentum: The energy and participation seen on the first day provide a strong base. Harnessing that to maintain consistency across weeks and months could lead to measurable gains in academic performance.
- Digital Transition: As exams move online (CBT), integrating digital skills into everyday teaching promises to benefit students far beyond exam preparation; it’s increasingly part of working life globally.
- Community Involvement: The involvement of parents and community stakeholders—as seen in turnout and attendance—shows potential for stronger partnerships that support schooling beyond what government can do alone.
- Vocational Expansion: The support for home economics, sewing, cooking, etc., signals that Lagos is increasingly recognising non-academic skills. That can broaden students’ possibilities, whether in entrepreneurship, technical work, or supporting household economies.
Conclusion: A Term of Promise Starts Now
As classrooms re-open and desks are filled, Lagos State stands at a pivotal moment. With a Commissioner who is visible, active, and demanding standards; with tools and support being delivered; and with teachers and students showing up in numbers, there is reason for cautious optimism.
The success of this academic session will not be measured simply by attendance, but by how well Lagos’ education system adapts to the needs of its students in this changing world: embracing technology, uplifting vocational skills, nurturing discipline, and ensuring equity. Stakeholders will no doubt watch closely — and hold Lagos State to its commitment to making this term truly remarkable.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
READ THE LATEST EDUCATION NEWS
