Foundation stresses importance of students building emotional intelligence skills

A Non-Governmental Organisation, the Master Mind Community Foundation, has stressed the need for students, especially in primary and secondary schools to build emotional intelligence and other interpersonal skills alongside academic knowledge as they grow to become responsible adults.

The president of the foundation, Mrs Vivianne Oghene-Abraham, shared this view at a day sensitisation workshop organised in conjunction with the Lagos State Education District 2, held in Maryland, Ikeja, recently.

She said building students, particularly emotional and social intelligence skills, would greatly help them to manage their emotions, build positive relationships, and make informed decisions when life challenges occur in their journeys of life.

No fewer than 170 students from public secondary schools under the education district 2, including Immaculate Heart Comprehensive High School, Maryland participated in the workshop.

Speaking on the theme of the workshop, ‘Emotional and Social Intelligence: Key Life Skills for Today’s Teens,’ Vivian, stated that “it is not enough for students becoming brilliant academically but poor in essential skills needed to navigate the complexities of adolescence and modern society.”

She listed those skills to include but not limited to self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation and social skills.

While urging the students to take their studies more seriously and also make good use of the knowledge gained at the workshop, she admonished parents, teachers, the media as well as society at large, to equally play their respective role in preparing children for all-round, and not only academic, success.

She disclosed that the foundation had plans to expand the training to other schools including private owned in and outside Lagos State.

“So, our foundation is passionate about this initiative, and we believe that it will make a significant impact in the lives of the students,” she stressed.

In his presentation earlier, a resource person, Mr Adeyemi Adebayo, who is a retired director from the Lagos Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, also harped on the importance of young people building strong social and emotional intelligence skills for their proper growth and development.

He, however, bemoaned the unfortunate situation in which he said many children in the country found themselves nowadays.

According to him, many children simply lack essential interpersonal skills, which oftentimes lead them to vices such as peer pressure, suicide, cultism, and poor decision-making.

He said that was why “I will encourage you to always be yourself. Know that you are neither inferior nor superior to any person.

“Also, see the journey of life as a marathon. Comport yourself well and control your feelings, either good or bad.

“Develop the right attitude and ensure you pursue your competence. If you know you are good at sports, dancing, public speaking, artistic design or any other areas of endeavours, go for it with determination and you will thrive.

“Also ensure to build good relationships that will last long with others even now that you are in school.

Adebayo pointed out that parents and society also have roles to play in this journey by teaching the children moral values.

He commended the foundation for taking this initiative that can help shape the life of children as they grow to become responsible adults.

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