In a powerful and emotionally charged video posted on X (formerly Twitter), a Nigerian mother has sparked national debate by calling out what she described as the “ridiculous” and “confusing” trend of meaningless award categories in private schools after her child’s school gave out an “Award of Excellence” for simply being the tallest female student in class.
The unnamed mother, clearly frustrated, questioned the logic behind such awards: “Look at this award… does this even make sense? Excellence award for being the tallest in the class?” she asked in disbelief. Her concerns quickly escalated into a broader critique of Nigeria’s educational reward system and the apparent lack of regulatory oversight in schools’ award practices.
She directed her frustration toward the Ministry of Education, urging it to begin investigating schools that “manufacture senseless awards” to appease paying parents or simply fill out a prize list. “Who are the regulators? Where is the Ministry of Education? They need to start probing these private school awards,” she stated.
Her criticism wasn’t limited to the award category itself; she expressed worry about what message such accolades send to children. “So what happens to the short girl in class? Should she cry herself to sleep? This doesn’t make sense at all,” she lamented, highlighting the harmful emotional effects of arbitrary comparisons among children.
In the same post, she recounted an experience during a school graduation where a mother was visibly upset with her child for not winning an award. “Why do some parents behave like their entire worth is tied to their child bringing home a trophy?” she asked, calling out what she described as “toxic parental pressure.”
According to her, academic awards should be celebrated, but they should never be the only form of validation children receive. “I applaud brilliant students who earn awards through hard work but let’s not forget the quiet, consistent learners. The ones who are kind, curious, and show up every day. Those children are doing well too,” she said.
She emphasized that not all success can be printed on paper or encased in a shiny plaque. “Not every brilliant, creative, responsible child will have a shiny certificate to show for it. And that’s okay. Parents must stop equating their self-worth to cardboard awards,” she warned.
Her reflections also touched on the dangers of reducing children’s potential to superficial accolades. “Why are we reducing a child’s journey to a gold-plated print? Let’s focus on growth not just glory. Let’s focus on character, not just clapping,” she urged. She insisted that life doesn’t hand out trophies for every good deed, so schools should stop setting children up for a warped sense of worth.
The video sparked massive engagement on social media, with many Nigerians expressing similar frustrations. One commenter wrote, “So height is now a measure of excellence? This is exactly how we confuse children about what truly matters.” Another remarked, “I hate unhealthy competition. If I ever own a school, I’ll scrap this ‘first position’ nonsense. Children should be helped to learn at their own pace.”
Some users mocked the commercialization of academic performance, citing that some schools award every child “first position” to avoid offending parents who pay exorbitant fees. “One school around my area gave every child in primary one first position. Who wants to hear their child say no sabi book after paying ₦600k per term?” one parent said sarcastically.
There were also bizarre examples cited by others. One social media user recalled seeing a plaque awarded to a student labeled: “Best Female Wardrobe Student.” Another user said, “At this point, we need education reform. The idea of excellence is being distorted beyond recognition.”
In her concluding remarks, the mother doubled down: “Some schools now give parents awards just to keep them happy. This is getting out of hand. It’s not about growth anymore; it’s about gimmicks. People should stop all this nonsense. Enough is enough.”
This incident has reopened critical conversations about the need for meaningful education reform, the emotional toll of excessive academic competition, and the importance of redefining success for Nigeria’s next generation. As the video continues to circulate, one thing is clear: parents, educators, and regulators must come together to ensure that excellence in schools reflects values that matter, not just vanity metrics.
