Founder of Joach Standard International School - Mrs. Joy Chika Achema opens up into her chequered past which serves as her inspiration to start a low cost school. Here’s an EdFina exclusive interview of hers
What made me start Joach Standard International School
I’m very passionate about children and their welfare. Every time I’d see children on my street roaming about when others are in school,l I’d feel sorry for them because I was once like them. I was fortunate to go to school but I did not start early. Back then, I was living with my aunt who discriminated against me by educating her children and leaving me to do the household chores. When I went to work as a house help with a French couple, they took me under their wing, and ensured that I was able to go to school by sponsoring my school education. I consider them as Heaven sent to favour me and shape my life. No one ever believed that I'd be educated, but my faith in God helped me. These days you tend to see children on the street having to face sexual harassment or forced into child marriages. It is to get these very kids who are out of Nigeria’s schooling system into the fold of education that I started my school.
It was while pursuing my graduation at the Nigerian College of Education (Kwara) did I discover my passion for the field of education – be it teaching or helping my classmates academically.
The challenges I see with respect to the education system in Nigeria that my school is helping to solve
Despite our government having tried its best, Nigeria still has one of the highest number of ‘out-of-school’ students in the world. Even though primary education is officially free and compulsory, about 10.5 million of our country's children aged 5-14 years are not in school. According to UNICEF, one in every five of the world's out-of-school children is in Nigeria. Other private schools charge a high fees which parents of children are unable to afford. Hence I’m focussing on not just making school education more affordable, but also making learning a joyful process so as to magnetize interest of children and they come to school.

Mrs. Joy Chika Achema lays emphasis on student centricity at Joach Standard International School
