Royal Pride Montessori School Grows Stronger Through Community Leadership and Education Investment in Nigeria
Mrs Juliana Orlandike founded Royal Bright Montessori School in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1998, driven by a passionate commitment to serve less privileged children who are often excluded from formal education
“I was not looking for convenience,” she says. “I was looking for a place where education could take root and grow.” The building she found was unfinished and abandoned, but for Mrs Orlandike, it represented possibility. Having worked as a teacher at another school, she deliberately moved to a new community to start afresh, determined to build something independent and enduring.
Royal Pride Montessori School opened its doors with about 30 children. Resources were limited, but the purpose was not. Mrs Orlandike designed her own Montessori learning tools using locally available materials and focused on nurturing curiosity, confidence, and discipline. “I started without money, but I had skill, knowledge, and a strong desire to teach,” she reflects. “What mattered to me was that children were learning and growing.”
As the school expanded, new challenges emerged. Managing irregular school fees, documenting operations, supporting teachers, and maintaining facilities in a rapidly growing part of Lagos required more than passion alone. “There was a point when I realised that loving education was not enough,” she recalls. “If the school was going to last, I needed to learn how to manage it properly.”
That turning point led her to join Opportunity International EduFinance’s EduQuality Program, a decision she describes as transformative. “When I heard that the program would help schools grow to a global standard, that word ‘global’ stayed with me,” Mrs Orlandike says. “I wanted to understand what it really takes to run a strong, respected school.”
Through the EduQuality program, she gained structured training in leadership, financial planning, school policies, and teacher development. She worked closely with education specialists, introduced clear documentation and payment systems, and invested in mentoring teachers to improve classroom practice. “They taught us to pause, reflect, and plan,” she explains. “I began to see my school not just as a place of teaching, but as an organisation that needed strong systems.”
The impact was immediate and lasting. Clear processes improved trust with parents. Teacher mentors strengthened instructional quality across classrooms. Assemblies and school events became moments of shared pride, reinforcing the school’s identity within the community. “The program helped me bring out what was already there,” Mrs. Orlandike says. “It helped me organize my vision.”
Today, Royal Pride Montessori School employs 15 teachers, has expanded its classrooms, and supports inclusive education, including learners with diverse needs. The school also works closely with families and local institutions, reinforcing education as a shared responsibility. “This school grew because people began to see its value,” she says. “Parents, teachers, and the community grew together.”
Royal Pride’s journey reflects the broader impact of Opportunity Edufinance’s approach to investing in school leaders, enabling them to build high-quality, sustainable schools from within their communities. Across Nigeria and globally, this model is helping more children access better quality education by strengthening the institutions that serve them.
For Mrs Orlandike, the partnership affirmed something she has believed since day one: “When you give a school the right support, it does not just grow in size,” she says. “It grows in confidence, in quality, and in what it can offer the next generation.”