Command Secondary Schools
{{Infobox school
| name = Command Secondary Schools
| image =
| caption =
| country = Nigeria
| schooltype = Federal Secondary School
| founded = 1977
| schoolboard = Nigerian Army Education Corps
| grades_label = Grades
| grades = JSS1 - SSS3
| enrollment =
| enrollment_as_of = 2008
| language = English
| area = Nigeria
| motto = Strength through Knowledge (formerly 'Discipline and Knowledge')
| colours = Lawn green and Forest green
| team_name = Commandos
| url = {{URL|https://www.dcss.sch.ng/}}
}}
Command Secondary Schools are secondary schools under the Nigerian Army Education corps (previously under the defunct Institute of Army Education).
Overview
The Directorate of Command Schools is directly responsible for administration. Command Schools may be regular day schools (known as Command Day Secondary School (CDSS)) or boarding schools (known as Command Secondary School (CSS)). There are a total of 45 Command schools, 30 of which are boarding schools and 15 are day schools.{{cite web|url=https://www.dcss.sch.ng/ |title=Directorate of Command Schools Service |author=Directorate of Command Schools |accessdate=2022-05-20 }} Command schools were established as welfare schools to provide low cost, quality education to children of Nigerian army personnel while indoctrinating patriotism, civic responsibility and military discipline in attendees.{{cite web |url=https://commandsecondaryschoolkaduna.org/page/INTRODUCTION |title=The brief history of Command secondary school |author=Command Secondary School Kaduna |accessdate=2022-05-20 |archive-date=2022-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102211932/https://commandsecondaryschoolkaduna.org/page/INTRODUCTION |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://narc.org.ng/nigerian-army-set-re-position-command-schools/ |title= Nigerian Army Set to Re-Position Command Schools|author=NARC|date= 28 July 2017|accessdate=2022-06-08 }} Over time, admission requirements have been relaxed to allow the entry of students who are not wards or children of soldiers. However, civilian fees are much higher than fees for children of military and police personnel.
Command Schools maintain an affiliation with the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Nigerian Navy Secondary Schools and Nigerian Air Force Secondary Schools. Both Command schools and NMS are run by the Nigeria Army, however they have distinct aims. While NMS aims to produce military personnel, Command schools aim to produce a wider base of graduates including civilians who have strong national values. Howbeit, a significant portion of Command School graduates go on to join different branches of Nigerian Military. Command Schools are known for their quality of education and prominent alumni in the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.citybasemagazine.com/my-vision-is-to-turn-command-secondary-school-ipaja-lagos-to-a-model-command-school-col-y-d-ahmed-commandant/ |title=My vision is to turn Command Day Secondary School Ipaja into a model school |author=Y.D. Ahmed |date=30 November 2019 |accessdate=2022-05-20 }} Command alumni informally known as ex-commandos often contribute to development projects in their alma mater.{{cite web|url=https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/nigerian-army-chief-urges-support-education-sector-90119 |title=Nigerian Army chief urges support for education sectorl |author=Bello Shittu |date=26 February 2018 |accessdate=2022-05-20 }}
List of Command Schools
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Boarding Schools{{cite web |url=https://www.dcss.sch.ng/schools |title=Directorate of Command Schools Service |author=Directorate of Command Schools |accessdate=2022-05-20 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=https://www.myschoolgist.com/ng/command-secondary-schools/ |title=List of Command Secondary Schools in Nigeria |author=Olusegun Fapohunda |date=11 February 2022 |accessdate=2022-05-20 }} | |
| Name of School | State |
|---|---|
| Command Secondary School, Kaduna | Kaduna State |
| Command Science Secondary School,(Boys) Faskari | Katsina State |
| Command Science Secondary School,(Girls) Barkiya | Katsina State |
| Command Secondary School, Ibadan | Oyo State |
| Command Science Secondary School,Saki, | Oyo State |
| Command Secondary School, Jos | Plateau State |
| Command Secondary School, Mbiri | Delta State |
| Command Science Secondary School, Portharcourt | Rivers State. |
| Command Science Secondary School, Effa-Etinan | Akwa-Ibom State |
| Command Science Secondary School Ebedebiri | Bayelsa State |
| Command Science Secondary School, Numan | Adamawa State |
| Command Science Secondary School, (Boys) Auno | Borno State |
| Command Science Secondary School,(Girls)Miringa | Borno State |
| Command Secondary School Buratai | Borno State |
| Command Secondary School, (Boys) Jega | Kebbi State |
| Command Science Secondary School,(Girls) Goru | Kebbi State. |
| Command Science Secondary School,(Boys) Shagari | Sokoto State |
| Command Science Secondary School( Boys) Talata Mafara | Zamfara State |
| Command Science Secondary School Girls Gusau | Zamfara State |
| Command Secondary School, Ipaja | Lagos State |
| Command Secondary School,Orba Udena | Enugu State |
| Command Secondary School,Mpu Aninri | Enugu State |
| Command Secondary School,Abakaliki | Ebonyi State |
| Command Secondary School,Makurdi | Benue State |
| Command Secondary School,Ohafia | Abia State |
| Command Secondary School,Orlu | Imo State |
| Command Secondary School, Suleja | Niger state |
| Command Science Secondary School Lafia | Nassarawa State |
| Command Science Secondary School Agwada | Nassarawa State |
| Command Science Technical Secondary School Rinze-Akwanga | Nassarawa State |
| class="wikitable sortable" | |
| Name of School | State |
|---|---|
| Command Day Secondary School, Kaduna | Kaduna state |
| Command Day Secondary School, Ibadan | Oyo State |
| Command Day Secondary School,Mokola | Oyo State |
| Command Day Secondary School Akure | Ondo state |
| Command Day Secondary School,Ede | Osun State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode | Ogun State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Jos | Plateau State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja | Lagos State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Oshodi | Lagos State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Ojo | Lagos State |
| Command Day Secondary School Enugu | Enugu State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Makurdi | Benue State |
| Command Day Secondary School, Abuja | FCT |
| Command Day Secondary School Biu | Borno State |
| Command Day Secondary School School,Giginya | Sokoto State |
Extra curricular activities
Command Schools believe strongly in the development of students who are 'academically and physically fit'.{{cite web|url=https://nationalwire.com.ng/we-groom-students-that-are-academically-physically-fit-81-div-goc/#.YqJqXWnR9zA |title=We Groom Students That Are Academically, Physically Fit' – 81 Div GOC |author= Okosun Dennis |date=7 April 2022 |accessdate=2022-06-08 }} Schools are usually sited on land that leaves plenty of green space for outdoor activities. Students are required to participate in some extracurricular activities and are strongly encouraged to participate in others.
=Inter-house sports=
Students are divided into houses which are named after Nigerian Army divisions and the house shares its flag with the corresponding division. In boarding schools, the house is usually the same as the name of residences. For instance students in Tiger house would live in Tiger Hall/Hostel/Dormitory.
| class="wikitable"
|+ Houses in Command Schools | ||
| House | Division | Division HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger | 2nd Div | Ibadan |
| Hippo (Formerly Palm) | 81 Div (Formerly Lagos Garrison) | Lagos |
| Stallion (Formerly Flying Horse) | 1st Div | Kaduna |
| Rhinoceros (Formerly Octopus) | 3rd Div | Jos |
| Dragon | 82 Div | Enugu |
Inter-house sports cover a variety of track and field and ball sports including short and middle-distance races, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, javelin, discus, shot put, weightlifting basketball, football, volleyball, handball, tennis, table tennis, calisthenics, karate, wrestling, Floor gymnastics taekwondo, parade drill, draughts, and Ayo. Inter-house sports are usually festive events and students may play several other unofficial games including games of tag, pond-surfing, and temporary shelter building.
= Educational technology adoption =
On 9-April-2022, Nigeria army{{Cite web |last=says |first=Sharon Sowemimo |date=2022-04-09 |title=SchoolTry partners with Nigeria Army - SchoolTry EdTech |url=https://www.schooltry.com/schooltry-partners-with-nigeria-army/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=SchoolTry |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923232629/https://www.schooltry.com/schooltry-partners-with-nigeria-army/ |url-status=dead }} partnered and adopted an education technology solution "SchoolTry" to discontinue the use of paper to gather information across all the command schools in Nigeria. The solution also serves as a learning management tool for students of the to learn both from home and in class, for parents to monitor their children's academic performance and progress and lastly for teachers to be able to facilitate the process of teaching and information dissemination.
=Inter-school games=
Command Schools usually match off against each other in a set of competitions called the Inter-Command games. The games typically have the same type of events as the inter-house sports. Sometimes the NMS may enter a team for the games. Command School schools also participate in sporting events in their local government, state or region.
=Clubs, societies and martial organizations=
Students are typically required to be registered members of at least one club or society. Clubs and societies carry out activities in a given area of interest. Sometimes clubs and societies may be affiliated with larger national or international bodies. Common clubs and societies include Red Cross, Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists Club, Literary and Debating Society, Young farmers club, Karate club, Taekwondo Dojo, and basketball club.
=Other competitions=
Command schools frequently participate in spelling bees, STEM competitions and exhibitions, debates, arts exhibitions, essay writing competitions amongst others.
=Cadet Corps=
The cadet corps is a youth paramilitary organization which has the stated goal of promoting leadership development and community engagement among Nigeria youths.{{cite web|url=https://nationalcadetcorpsedo.art.blog/ |title=National Cadet Corps of Nigeria Edo Command |author=Peter Omokhagbo |accessdate=2022-05-20 }} Command students are encouraged to join the cadet corps. Cadet members are trained in parade drill and survival skills.