Glory Access School Building A Strong School Through Teacher Training and Leadership Development In Nigeria
When Glory Access School opened in 2008, it was a modest operation in a single room with just one student and a handful of staff. “We kept fees low because we wanted every family in our community to afford education,” recalls Shokunbi Omolayo Abosede, Proprietress of the school, reflecting on those early days when covering salaries was a constant challenge.
Over time, this humble beginning evolved into a safe, supportive and well-run school which now serves 163 learners. The school now has 16 full-time and 6 part-time educators, showing a large increase in teaching staff. Abosede reflects, “Our partnership with Opportunity International has transformed Glory Access School from a modest setting into an institution of lifelong learning.”
Much of this transformation has taken place due to the guidance and tools provided by Opportunity International EduFinance through the EduQuality Program, which offers schools training and support to sustainably develop their management and learning environment for students. “The guidance and tools from Opportunity International EduFinance changed everything for us,” says Abosede. “Their EduQuality Program helped us move from survival mode to building a sustainable, well-managed school.”
Before joining EduFinance, Glory Access School did not have structured financial systems. There were no official budgets, financial records or long-term planning. Since enrolling in the School Leadership Professional Development (SLPD) workshops, the leadership team has adopted accounting books and annual budgets that take into account both short-term and long-term priorities. “Before joining EduFinance, we had no structured financial systems—no budgets, no records,” Abosede admits. “Today, we have proper accounting books and annual budgets that reflect both short-term and long-term priorities.”
Beyond finance, the school has made a shift in how it approaches discipline and school culture. Through the SLPD workshops, school leaders were taught positive behaviour management and child protection practices. Corporal punishment was removed and replaced with structured behaviour policies. Teachers received training and parents were kept informed of the changes to ensure consistency and trust across stakeholders. As a result, teachers have reported students feeling calmer and more confident in lessons, and parents are now more connected to their child’s learning. Furthermore, the school has noticed a drop in bullying incidents. “We replaced corporal punishment with positive behavior management and child protection practices,” Abosede explains. “This shift has made our classrooms calmer and built trust with parents.”
The school has also made efforts to empower students by creating a Student Representative Council, allowing learners to expand their soft skills such as public speaking and collaboration, and giving them the opportunity to suggest improvements to the school. “Creating a Student Representative Council was a big step,” says Abosede. “It gives our learners a voice and helps them develop soft skills like public speaking and collaboration.”
The transformation of Glory Access School extends beyond improvements made to the classroom and learning environment. The school has increased its involvement within the local community through organising free health checkups, subsidised eye tests, free reading classes and civil registration services. These initiatives encourage students to be more conscious citizens and spend time volunteering. “We believe education goes beyond the classroom,” Abosede emphasizes. “That’s why we organize free health checkups, eye tests, reading classes, and civil registration services for our community.”