In military school, academics are combined with drills

Unlike the speech and prize giving day ceremonies of conventional secondary schools, that of the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria usually come with the display of ceremonial military drills.The young military school students dazzle their spectators with the expertise imparted to them of established military drills. The NMS Passing out Parade (POP) bears no difference […]

Unlike the speech and prize giving day ceremonies of conventional secondary schools, that of the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria usually come with the display of ceremonial military drills.
The young military school students dazzle their spectators with the expertise imparted to them of established military drills. The NMS Passing out Parade (POP) bears no difference with routine military POPs in terms of colour and style.
The school musical band adds colour to the ceremony with military melody. First-time guests could not help being amazed by the tune of the band’s music composition and how it dictates the pace, style and the acrobatic style of the POP.
Every year, like all secondary schools, NMS graduates students that complete their secondary education. Apart from formal knowledge, NMS students usually have an addition of military training.
On Saturday, August 2, 2014, the school had its graduation ceremony and Passing out Parade with Lt-General Kenneth Minimah, the Chief of Army Staff, as the Chief Reviewing Officer.
General Minimah identified knowledge, discipline and patriotism as unambiguous path to success in life, and especially that of the military men.
Minimah, who was represented by Major General Charley Ogunnaya Okoro, Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, described NMS as the training ground of most of the present day military officers.
 “Today’s passing out parade draws the curtains on all training activities for 2013/2014 academic session. This provides an impetus to evaluate the training activities in the session and to assess how the school has fared.
“In the past one year, there had been a remarkable upswing in the vibrancy and excellence, both in academic and discipline, which NMS is traditionally associated with. All hands must be on deck to ensure that the school’s motto of discipline, knowledge and patriotism is pursued to the letter,” General Minimah said.
The army boss urged the graduating students to make discipline their watchword and work hard to prosper in all their future endeavours.
He also charged them to strive hard to continue to be symbols of pride to their families, good ambassadors of NMS, the Nigerian Army and the nation at large.
While urging those who worked hard and won prizes to remain focused in order to achieve higher goals in life, Minimah called on them to sustain the spirit and even improve upon it for self-accomplishment.
During the school’s speech and prize giving day ceremony that took place earlier, the Chief of Army, Training and Operation, Major General Johnbull Ewansiha, described NMS as one of the best secondary schools not only in Nigeria but in the West African sub-region.
General Ehansiha, who was represented by Major General Chris Olukolade, spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, said the school had distinguished itself in academic excellence apart from professional military training.
He encouraged the commandant, personnel, parents and individuals not to relent in their efforts at achieving the set goals and objectives of the founding fathers of the school.
“In this regard, the NMS has continued to maintain its distinct role of training and moulding the lives of Nigerian children coming out of primary schools into intelligent, disciplined, industrious and hardworking young boys. Since inception, the school has, no doubt, contributed in no small measure to the educational development of Nigerian youths especially in academics and military training.
“There is no doubt education is the bedrock of any meaningful development. In view of this, I must commend the efforts of the commandant and all other staff for optimally harnessing all available limited resources to maintain and uplift the school’s academic standard,” General Olukolade said.
The NMS Commandant, Brigadier General James Fayehun, said the boys of the school were lucky to be receiving training on different vocations aside conventional secondary education, adding that that was a means of preparing them for future challenges.
Fayehun advised the students to take advantage of the knowledge they acquired in the school for their own good as well as national growth and development.
Out of the about 205 students that graduated, Shuaibu A. Shuaibu, NMS/08/6438, emerged the overall best student, and along with other students that excelled in other areas received prizes.