Cambridge Exam: How Hard Work, Resilience Spurred Chrisland Students’ Success

Following their outstanding performance in the 2022 Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge AS Level Examinations, Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo of Chrisland High School VGC, who got the ‘Top in the World’ award and Oluwabukolami Adeyemi of Chrisland Pre-degree College, Lagos, who got the highest mark in the world in the Cambridge International AS, told journalists including Funmi Ogundare how their resilience and hard work paved way for their success

Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo of Chrisland High School VGC and Oluwabukolami Adeyemi, 18, of Chrisland Pre Degree College Lagos, recently made their school and parents proud with their outstanding performance in the 2022 Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge AS Level Examinations, conducted in more than 145 countries worldwide.

They received the British Council Outstanding Cambridge Learner’s Award. Having gained the highest mark in English as a second language (speaking endorsement) in IGSCE, Okonkwo got the Top in the World award, while Adeyemi, who gained the highest mark in the world in the Cambridge International AS Level Law, got the ‘Top in the World’ award, as well as the ‘High Achievement’ award for Cambridge AS Level Psychology.

For Adeyemi, who wrote the Cambridge International AS levels Law exam, commonly known as Cambridge A levels, preparing for it didn’t come easy as she had to be in school when other students were on holiday to study.

“Prior to doing that exam, I had never done any other Cambridge exam, so it was quite strange to me when I started preparing for it, but I had support from my teachers and principal, Dr. Agomoh, and my parents. With ‘A’ levels, there is a lot of independent study that has to be done, so I had to start preparing ahead for the exam that was coming up in October,” stated Adeyemi. 

She added, “So throughout July and August, I was in school preparing for exams. I had to do past questions, analyse the Maths scheme and read a lot of textbooks. I did a lot of hard work and sacrifice as I couldn’t do a lot of what I was doing when everyone was on holiday, but I think everything just worked together for my good.”

The Kogi State-born Adeyemi stated that the ‘A’ level would give her direct entry into the university in the UK, having secured admission to study Law.

“The next big thing is for me to take the opportunity of the admission I have gotten and resume school and continue to further my academic journey, so that means I have only three years to study Law at a university in the UK,” she explained.”

She described her academic experience at Chrisland and the efforts of the educators as intentional and detailed, adding that the school has a lot of opportunities for students to study abroad.

Mmesoma Okonkwo, 17, from Anambra, who received the ‘Top in the World’ award for English IGSCE as a second language, stated that sitting for six subjects that were all theory-based was daunting for her.

“We wrote the exam in May/June last year, six subjects for most of us. So out of the millions of students that wrote the exam, I emerged as the top in the world in English. The English exam was theory. There was no objective. It was in three parts, all theory,” said Okonkwo. “We had to do writing and listening, and speaking for the exam. English was my favourite. It was enjoyable to write the exam and prepare for it as well.”

Asked how she prepared for the exam, she said, “We would spend time doing past questions on the Cambridge website and also have mock exams that are similar to IGSCE. Our teachers will make us pick a few topics on essay writing and team us up.”

Okonkwo, who intends to study Business Management, described the course as versatile, saying she is passionate about doing business.

Mmesoma’s mother, Mrs Udora Okonkwo, was delighted with her daughter’s success.

She said she could inculcate the reading culture in Mmesoma and her siblings from a young age, which has boosted her academic performance.

She advised students to study, work hard, and cooperate with teachers.

A member of the advisory board of Chrisland Schools Limited, Mr. Akin Fadeyi, explained that the school is dedicated to the general advancement of humanity, as it is resourced with a crop of disciplined and committed staff members. 

“We have been able to achieve a consistent track record for delivering qualitative, world-class education even as we have remained irrevocably committed to raising great ambassadors who have been modelled in our community’s humane culture, values and ethics,” Fadeyi stated. 

He added, “The light has always been our focus while love has been our sustenance. It is not the first time we will be on the world stage. We have always raised an enduring generation of leaders in all spheres of human endeavour, be it science, technology, arts and sports.”