Stakeholders in the education sector have emphasised the need for a deliberate guidance scheme to support the education and development of Nigeria’s teenage population.
Speaking at the fifth Teens Think International Essay Competition, held in Ikeja, Lagos, stakeholders lamented that most teenagers are left to fend for themselves without proper guidance from schools or parents.
They noted that the lack of guidance has led many teenagers to engage in practices that are detrimental to their present and future aspirations, including consuming and sharing unhealthy content on social media.
“The sad situation has been worsened by the larger society, which supports the unguided teenagers,” they lamented. The Chairman of Kehinde Olesin Foundation, Mr Kehinde Olesin, noted that the situation is further exacerbated by corporate organisations that prioritise their personal interests over the well-being of teenagers. “Corporate organisations are quick to sponsor unhealthy activities by teenagers for their company’s selfish gains, rather than sponsor their academic pursuits and related activities.
They sponsor exhibitions of nudity and immorality involving teenagers, which is cancerous not only to the teenagers themselves, but to the society at large,” Olesin said. He explained that the competition was designed to fill the gap in guidance and support for teenagers.
The competition, themed: ‘Humanity and Artificial Intelligence (AI),’ drew over 200 entries from 100 schools, with the top three finalists showcasing their knowledge and skills in the field.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adeboye Adeyemi, also lamented that teenagers were not given proper and adequate guidance, explaining that the essay contest was introduced to correct the anomaly by filling the gaps.
Adeyemi noted that despite challenges with funding and sponsorship, the competition would continue to provide a platform for teenagers to hone their skills and express themselves.
An AI educator and instructor, Dr. Celestine Achi, stressed the importance of prompt engineering in AI usage, saying it is a highly in-demand skill set that can lead to excellent outcomes. He cautioned against adverse comments about AI, noting that it can be a great thing to happen to humanity if used ethically.
At the end of the exercise, Opabiyi Josephine of Federal College of Education Model Secondary School, Abeokuta, emerged winner with 82 points; Eniola Kananfo of Ota Total Academy, Ota, Ogun State, emerged second with 81 points; while Oghenerugba Abeokuta, Akpabor‑Okoro of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, Lagos, emerged third with 80 points.
