At Best Brain College, academic excellence is our goal — Wilson Ebenezer Darko

Best Brain College is a co-educational private school which is known to be outstanding and innovative coupled with talent development initiatives.  In the recent 100 top performers list of secondary schools released by the West African Examination Council May/June 2014 Best Brain College was in the list.  The school was number 85, in the top best of 100 schools in Nigeria.  In this interview with FEMI BABALOLA, the principal of the school, Mr. Wilson Ebenezer Darko fondly called by teachers and students PA WILLY elaborately dwelt on the secret of the success.  Enjoy.

YOUR school was adjudged one the best 100 schools by WAEC, what stand you out.  Looking at your school, the building is not so fascinating like other schools?
The glory of a school is not in building but in developing their latent capacities of the students.  Best Brain College is committed to developing each student potentials to become intellectually courageous and socially responsible citizens of the world.  With this in our mind, we put all our effort in developing through teaching our students.  We don’t play with academics at all.  our success begins from the employment of teachers.  We believe that you can only impart what you have and this is the more reason our teachers are employed based on what they know and have to offer.  Why some schools cannot perform is as a result of incompetent hands that is handling the students.  We don’t joke with quality in Best Brain College our performance is not a surprise we duly prepared for excellence.
You are a Ghanian, what do you think is wrong with our education in Nigeria?
It is the inconsistent education policies. It is a major problem.  Another problem is supervision from the ministry, it is not very strong.  The inspectorate division of the ministry of education are not doing thorough job.  The 6-3-3-4 were not implemented to the letter.  When another administration comes they will change the system they met on ground.  This derail what has been on for a long time.  Lack of continuity in government policies has affected the systemic structure of Nigeria education.  The solution to this is that government should have a continuity of policies in education and see to the inspection of the schools.  The inspectorate division should be proactive.  They should find a way of nullifying the incompetent hands that is teaching the students.
Why do you think I must bring my child to your school?
In Best Brain College, we develop student to the fullest, morally, spiritually, academically and socially.  We prepare student for the future.  They are the leaders of tomorrow, we have experience leaders who are committed and dedicated.  As principal of the school, I teach mathematics, some of our teachers are as old as the school.  We don’t believe that there is a weak student anywhere, bring the weak student to Best Brain College such will change academically. Our teachers are versatile having gone through the content of the teaching for a particular numbers of the years make them to become “wizard” in their teaching subjects.  We make use of teaching aids and class participation.  We believe that a teacher must put into practice what he or she has taught the student for them to appropriate and internalized what they have leant.  We guide student how to read faster beyond the topic that we are teaching them, this help them to catch up easily when we are teaching them.  Since they have gone through or read on their own the next topic, when we are teaching them, it will be like a revision.
What have you to say about Computer as a subject in your school?
We have standard computer room.  Well equipped.  Every student to a computer.  The system is on the table for the students.  We know that the external exam nowadays is computer based.  We have started in this school and very soon they will start writing their exams on the system.  The objectives paper will be answered on ICT room.  We are giving them adequate training as far as computers study is concern.
How would you rate the performance of your students in external exams JAMB and what have you?
Before we equip the ICT room we are doing our best.  Our students going for Jamb and post Jamb are doing very well.  We expect them to do much more better with the ICT in place.  Very few of them scores below 230 in Jamb exams, in post-Jamb very few scores below 60.  Our first set was 2004, we have produced, medical doctors, accountant, lawyers, pharmacist amongst many others.  When an academically weak student is admitted into this school, the academic excellence and versatility such student will be displaying will marvel the guardian or parents as the case may be.  In any of the universities in the South West, go and check in any department the leading light will be a student that finished from this Citadel of learning.  Do you know that most of the professors in various universities do come to this school to ask why our students are unique and excellent academically.
In Ghana we are told that the proprietor of the school will pay half of the salary, while government will pay half, if that is the case do you want such assistance or which area do you want government to assist you?
Those who said that are lying.  Government does not pay as you are made to believe.  In Ghana, the government do not play with inspection. You cannot just establish school in Ghana.  It is very difficult.  The condition attached to it, is too enormous and cumbersome.  It is difficult to have mushroom Colleges in Ghana.  Government in Nigeria needs to organise seminars, workshops and conferences for the teachers.  Don’t forget that whatever you learn will form your character.  Government should stop liberalizing the establishment of schools.  Because of the way school were established made many unqualified teachers to handle students.