WISDOM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE ABUJA, NIGERIA NAMED IN TOP 10 SHORTLISTS FOR WORLD’S BEST SCHOOL PRIZES 2024

Wisdom International School of Excellence (WISE), Abuja has been named in the Top 10 shortlists for the World’s Best School Prizes 2024. They are the only school named from Nigeria and West Africa. WISE is competing against other Schools in the UK, US, Europe, South Africa and East Africa. Wisdom International School of Excellence (WISE), a primary and secondary school in Abuja, Nigeria, which has tackled the health crisis of open defecation, water, sanitation and hygiene has been named in the Top 10 shortlist for the World’s Best School Prize for Overcoming Adversity.

WISE has integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the curriculum and supporting communities grappling with poverty and limited access to quality education. WISE is tackling the health crisis of open defecation; diarrhea and cholera thus subsequently reducing child mortality. Wisdom International School of Excellence, which have cultivated a strong culture of collaborating with communities to innovate and creative ideas to address community problems. Schools, communities and Government should learn from WISE school- community development approach which promises to be sustainable.

WISE was established in 2013 with a motto: Brighter Future. The school integrates practical-based learning, digital literacy, skills development with a strong emphasis on sustainability and community development. WISE transformative future learning approach is being implemented in Tudunwada slum community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja through the Student-led TudunWada Ecological Toilet Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Project.

This student-led initiative has drastically reduced open defecation from 75% to below 20%, significantly improving community health standards and enhancing access to clean water and sanitation facilities The School Administrator Mrs Olorunfemi Cariyat said "we are set out to build future leaders that can be useful for themselves, their family and the society at large. We are nurturing global learners. Our learner practice critical thinking and problem solving ideas that can help them become better leaders and managers in the future" Other school- community implemented by WISE including community health outreach, hypertension awareness, cancer awareness, farm enterprise, making Future Scientist, climate action among others.

Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World’s Best School Prizes, said: “Unless we solve the urgent challenges global education faces from learning gaps exacerbated by COVID to chronic underfunding and the growing teacher wellbeing, recruitment and retention crisis, we will have failed the next generation.
The Top 3 finalists for each of the five World’s Best School Prizes will be announced in September 2024 followed by the winners in November.
A prize of US$50,000 will be equally shared among the winners of the five Prizes, with each receiving an award of US$10,000. Meanwhile, the winner of the Community Choice Award, as determined by the Public Vote, will receive membership to Best School to Work – an independent, evidence-based mechanism to certify schools for their culture and working environment. Membership comes with detailed feedback, actionable insights, and benchmarking data to help schools transform their culture to attract and retain the best teachers.