Helmbridge Study Centre has stressed the need for individuals to acquire strong foundational knowledge before relying extensively on Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.
The Centre warned that inadequate understanding could make it difficult to identify inaccurate information generated by the technology.

This was at the inaugural ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of Helmbridge Study Centre, which had some of the alumni, such as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of Pan-Atlantic University and a Professor of Marketing at the Lagos Business School, Uchenna Uzo; Judge of Lagos High Court, Justice Matthias Oluwole Dawodu; parents, stakeholders, among others, present.

According to the Director of the Centre, Wilfred Dieke, AI should be regarded as a tool that complements learning rather than a substitute for the foundational knowledge required to use it effectively.
“You have to learn how to use it. Just like the way a child is introduced to a calculator, you don’t give a primary school child that hasn’t understood the basic of arithmetic the calculator to start off.

“You also want him to get mastery over his basic arithmetic and quantitative reasoning before he uses those tools to fast-track all the information that he or she needs,” he said.

Dieke also warned that students who lacked sufficient knowledge of a subject could struggle to recognise inaccuracies, including what he described as AI hallucinations.

“If you don’t have a bit of idea of where you’re going to, it gets murky. It’s able to hallucinate. You can’t detect when there’s hallucination in the information you’re being given,” he said.
He added that students needed to be consciously taught where and how to use AI, particularly because they were already being exposed to the technology.

On the 50th anniversary celebration, Dieke explained that charity and service to others remain part of the centre’s day-to-day activities, describing Helmbridge as a charity that runs projects with direct impact on people and communities.
He said the culture of giving was also integrated into the formation of the boys, noting that they regularly participate in charity activities.

According to him, the boys are encouraged to make personal donations and save from the little they receive to support the monthly charity outings.

“So it’s a way of life as such. So not to say, okay, we’re going to do something like that now. It’s actually ingrained in the day-to-day running of Helmbridge,” he said.

A lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and consultant interventional cardiologist at Lagos University General Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Oyewole Kushimo credited Helmbridge Study Centre with shaping his academic discipline, character and professional drive.

Kushimo, who attended the centre from Primary Four/Five through Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3), said its guided study programme taught him to study independently, plan ahead and strive for excellence.
“I learnt how to study with the guidance of tutors and learnt to form that habit of studying on my own and planning ahead,” he said.

He added that Helmbridge’s emphasis on virtues, including hard work, decency, charity and caring for others, provided holistic academic, moral and character formation.
Kushimo also said the centre nurtured his passion for history and literature through its cultural programmes.
He urged Helmbridge to continue innovating, adapt its methods to changing societal needs and make its programmes better known while preserving its core principles.

Justice Dawodu added that the Centre played a significant role in developing students beyond academics while urging the institution to expand its visibility and facilities.

Dawodu said Helmbridge trained students “emotionally, mentally, physically, psychologically, in all aspects,” recalling its former programme for day students.

He said the centre had evolved from its earlier focus on science subjects to include arts and commercial studies, describing the change as a more balanced approach.