The Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, through Education District 6, in collaboration with the Masterminds Community Foundation, has organized a one-day sensitization programme tagged Smart Teens Workshop for secondary school students across the state.
Held at Opebi Senior Grammar School, the workshop is part of an ongoing initiative designed to raise emotionally intelligent, socially responsible, and purpose-driven young leaders.
In her welcome address, the Convener of the Smart Teens Workshop and representative of the Masterminds Community Foundation, Mrs. Vivian Oghene, said the programme aims to equip young people with critical emotional and social skills often overlooked in formal education.
“Today’s workshop is more than an educational event. It is a conversation about who we are becoming as human beings,” she said.
“We learned how to solve equations, but not always how to solve conflicts; how to analyze data, but not always how to analyze our behaviour.”
Oghene noted that while Artificial Intelligence continues to transform the world, emotional intelligence remains a uniquely human strength.
“Machines can compute instantly, but they cannot care for you. To truly succeed, young people need more than IQ — they need EQ.”
She added that the Foundation is committed to nurturing a generation capable of communicating with empathy, managing emotions responsibly, and contributing positively to society.
Speaking at the event, an expert in school administration, Mr. Olumuyiwa Amodu, said the programme will help students develop self-awareness and use their emotions positively to influence others.
“A child that develops emotionally will stand a better chance of success in the future,” he said.
Amodu urged the Masterminds Community Foundation and other organisations to take the initiative to more districts so that more students can benefit.
Counsellors, teachers, and students from various schools, including Opebi Senior Grammar School, Oregun Senior High School, and Army Children Senior High School, described the workshop as eye-opening and impactful.
They called for its sustained implementation to help schools produce well-rounded and emotionally balanced individuals.
The Smart Teens Workshop is part of the Foundation’s broader mission to integrate emotional and social intelligence into youth development across Lagos State.
