The Teesas LIM program in Abuja brought together owners of leading schools, top school managers and stakeholders in the education sector in the north to discuss strategies to prepare children for work in the future.

The keynote speaker, Folashade Adefisayo, an academic and former Commissioner of Education, Lagos State, said that the Teesas LIM program includes topics like personal leadership which teaches children to take responsibility, leading to less disciplinary problems.

She also highlighted other topics covered by the program like “win-win solutions” and “sharpen the saw.”

“IQ gets you a job, but emotional intelligence helps you keep it. Emotional intelligence can be taught and mastered because habits are things we continually do,” she said.

Mr Osayi Izedonmwen, founder and chairman of Teesas Education, said the Teesas LIM is a whole-school transformation program delivered in partnership with FranklinCovey Education, primarily focused on developing leadership and social-emotional skills in learners to make them life-ready and prepare them for work in the future.

“AI and other tools are growing quickly, and you don’t want to build a workforce that is incapable of adding value to the economy. We believe very strongly that this is the right time to start sharpening the saw, by ensuring our learners are equipped with the right digital, leadership, social, and emotional skills that the future-of-work will require,” he said.

Justin Permenter, regional director of FranklinCovey Education said that research suggests that by the year 2050, nearly half of the world’s children under 18 will be on the African continent, so while it would be an exciting time for Africa, it is time for Africa to prepare for that future.

Permenter stated that the model of schools hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years although the 21st century challenges are different.

He added that there’s been a shift from the industrial age to the knowledge age while stating that analytical thinking, creative thinking, technological literacy, empathy and active listening, leadership and social influence are some of the top skills identified by the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs 2023 Report.

Similarly, McKinsey’s Future of Work Skills Report released in 2023 identified 56 foundational skills which can be grouped into four categories: cognitive, interpersonal, self-leadership and digital skills.

“Leader in Me addresses school development in three aspects: culture, leadership and academics. While the ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ is a foundation for the program, it rests on five paradigms namely: leadership, potential, change, motivation and education,” he said.

Speaking during a panel session, Dr Abimbola Ogundere, a global leadership expert, coach and CEO, LAIT Africa emphasised the need to implement social-emotional learning in schools using the Teesas LIM because of the lack of empathy, disrespect, bullying and disregard for authority by some students.

“Children who are not brought up properly cannot be functional adults. Parents must celebrate their children for being empathetic as much as they celebrate them for scoring good grades,” she said.

Another speaker, Mrs Oluwatosin Oladipo, head of Schools at SafeHands Schools stressed the need to instil empathy in children and expressed delight that the Teesas LIM program provides a framework that enables schools to do so.

The partnership will enable the deployment of FranklinCovey’s “Leader in Me” program in primary and secondary schools, as well as universities by Teesas. The company’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People video content on social-emotional learning will also be put on the Teesas Education App.

“The ‘Leader in Me’ program is a whole-school transformation model and process developed in partnership with educators that empower students with the leadership and life skills they need to thrive in the 21st century. 

It is based on principles and practices of personal, interpersonal and organisational effectiveness, and upon the powerful premise that every child possesses unique strengths and has the ability to be a leader.”

The ‘Leader in Me’ training and consultation builds on four core areas: professional development for educators, known as 7 Habits for Educators, designed for principals, headteachers and school administrators; 7 Habits for Happy Kids aimed at pre-schoolers and kindergarten; 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens for Highschool students and teens; including the 7 Habits for Families intended for parents and family learning.

Osayi Izedonmwen, Founder and CEO of Teesas, expressed his excitement about the partnership stating that the FranklinCovey ‘Leader in Me’ training and the Teesas Education App have similar goals of addressing educational gaps at the foundational level.

“As an impact-driven organisation, our content is designed to develop the total child from an academic standpoint as well as social and emotional learning. Teesas was the first EdTech in Nigeria to launch an e-learning app for children in reception (kindergarten) through primary school because we know that children need a solid foundation to be successful later in life.

“What makes the FranklinCovey ‘Leader in Me’ phenomenal is that it targets both the teacher and student. This is important because teachers can only impart the knowledge that they have. So, if we empower teachers to become great leaders, we’ll be empowering our children to lead themselves and uphold strong principles,” he said.

Teesas makes learning seamless and enjoyable for learners who can seamlessly connect with educators on the platform.

With the deployment of technology and adoption of local culture and dialects, the startup was built on a goal to eliminate barriers between tutors and students.

The startup provides high quality video tutorials delivered by highly intellectual teachers who explain foundational concepts using English and major local languages to deepen understanding. 

Bill McInytre, Vice President of FranklinCovey Education said: “We are so excited to be partnering with Teesas Education to bring you a new Leadership training paradigm for schools, students and families that is effective and all-inclusive. Over the years, the ‘Leader in Me’ model has built resilience and leadership in students, created a high-trust culture, and helped improve academic achievement. School communities in Africa can now bid farewell to the old Carrot-Stick method of Leadership, it is time to embrace the Whole Person Paradigm.”