Opera Don Bonifacio (ODB), an Italian based organization has floated the first holistic education in Imo State. Holistic education is an approach to learning that focuses on the development of the whole child; intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It integrates various aspects of human experience, including social, cultural, and environmental factors, and promotes a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.
Speaking to The Qoheleth during the week, the Founder of ODB, Imo State born, Rev. Fr. Boniface Duru, stated that holistic education follows certain established process that is globally accepted. They include social integration and interconnectedness, experiential learning, personal growth and inclusivity. These will build collaborative and supportive relationship among the students, their teachers and the Nigerian society. The Catholic priest further stated that three schools have been established to produce self-directed and self-fulfilling individuals. These are at the levels of primary, secondary and university. Each of these complements one another.
The schools are located at Amaigbo in Nwangele local government area of Imo State Nigeria. The target is to lay a solid foundation with indigenous pupils in primary and secondary schools from where they will later graduate to the university. Meanwhile, the primary and secondary schools have started operations in the last two years. In order to achieve the desired goal, hostels have been built for secondary students especially those coming in from outside the state.
In order to encourage children from humble backgrounds, scholarship has been offered to about 80 per cent of the students currently undergoing the holistic training. The scholarship, according to Fr. Duru was based on the performance of the individual students.
Azione Verde Schools are open to children from any part of the country especially those from areas that have security challenges irrespective of their religion and tribal status. In the next few years, the school is expected to produce critical thinkers and problem solvers, creative and innovative leaders, as well as compassionate and empathetic Nigerians who in turn will act as change agents to sanitize the country.
Fr. Duru Boniface further emphasized that by adopting a holistic approach to education, students can develop a more comprehensive understanding of themselves and the world, leading to a more fulfilling and purposeful life.
This will be based on the premise that each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to the community, to the natural world, and to humanitarian values.
The organization is partnering with other universities that offer similar education outside Nigeria towards exchange of academic programmes. The students will also have opportunities to advance their studies in such universities if need be.
As it were, there are opportunities for children who want to join from JSS 1 in the next academic session so that they will be in the vanguard of those to benefit from the holistic education. According to the ODB president; “The first contact a child has, are the parents and siblings. After the age of about 7 or 8, they will be able to join their mates in the school to be trained to be useful to the society. We therefore appeal parents to allow their children to benefit from this special training offered in Nigeria by joining at the primary and secondary level.”
Opera Don Bonifacio is a nonprofit organization set to promote human development all over the world through training, formation and holistic education of children and adults to make them protagonists of their own societies where they can make meaningfully and democratically changes for positive development.
