Excitement buzzed through the crowd, weekend, as pupils of Greensprings School, Anthony Campus, Lagos, reveled in an atmosphere of fun and games during its Funday, an annual programme organised by the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) to enable them have fun and network.
Speaking with journalists at the programme, the PTA Chairman, Mr. Babajide Familusi explained that the day was set aside as part of activities marking the Children's Day. He added that the school is building wholesome children, aside from sports and academics and creating time to have fun.
"It is about creating a balance and because we are trying to develop wholesome children, it is important for everyone including the parents and teachers to come together after intense sessions to let our hair down and have fun," he stated.
Familusi explained that since the education of the child starts from the home, the parents should work out ways to build resilience in their children and develop their mental strength.
"Mental health is a major challenge, but we need to build their resilience and ensure they engage in sporting activities such as learning how to swim tactically and going for competitions periodically," he said.
According to him, the school is teaching its pupils emotional intelligence, which helps develop the total child.
"They are learning leadership and to be good at what they do. They are also toping the charts academically, in sporting activities and entrepreneurship.
Mrs. Rashida Oyolola, Activities Committee Chairperson, described the experience as wholesome for the children and the community, saying that it is a day that was created for them to unwind and play together.
"We had a lot of games and parents also rode on some of the fun rides. It was a pleasant experience for me. Parents who came with their children were able to mingle with others."
She recalled that in the past, most of the games were for older students, but they had to sectionalised the games this year for the younger children in pre-school and primary school, so they could also be part in the activities.
In her remarks, the Head of School, Mrs. Magdalene Okrikri, said the games will help develop various skills and physical fitness in the students.
"They were able to mingle with each other and in so doing, they were able to develop their social skills. As a school, we intentionally created opportunities for our students to experience total development because we are not just focused on academics, but we are interested in developing a total child."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
She expressed delight about the students' enthusiasm about the funday, saying that the opportunity they had also helped them to develop confidence and cognitive skills.
The Group Chief Growth Officer, Roducate, Mr. Solomon Ogufere stated that its impact in providing digital learning services especially to Greensprings School, has been tremendous, adding that its interactive platform has over 80 subjects across Africa and it is planning to expand its reach to other private and public schools.
"We want to ensure that education extends beyond the classroom by making it more digital and fun."
Ms Imuwahen Egbe, Chief Operating Officer, One Health, emphasised the importance of creating healthcare awareness among parents and staff of the school so that they could check their blood pressure, BMI and seek advise on their general healthcare.
