I was having a chat with an online friend in the UK who was interested in School for Personal Leadership, hereafter referred to as SPL, since it is always mentioned at the footnote of my notes, but she really did not know the details. She was wise enough to ask some questions about the school and after answering them she decided to enroll for the school. After the chat it dawned on me that there might be a lot of others who have questions about the school too and don’t know how to go about getting the answers to the questions. This note will answer as much as possible, all the questions you may have about the school.

What is SPL about?
In a simple statement, SPL is about raising men and women, young and old, students and workers, employed or unemployed, who will go ahead to lead their neighborhoods, communities, nations, and the world by first learning how to lead themselves. The focus is not on leading others but on leading yourself. And we do this by using time-proven biblical principles.

Is SPL not just another motivational class?
No. In motivational classes people laugh, and there's nothing wrong with that. In SPL people cry. Motivational classes are one or a two-hour class, SPL is a one month program with two lectures per week for the four weeks. Motivational classes tell you you can conquer the world, SPL shows you how to conquer yourself.

How do the lectures hold?
SPL classes hold online. Presently, it holds on Facebook as a secret group only visible to paid participants of the school. Lecture notes are placed like wall post, only it will take as long as 20 to 45mins to go through each lecture note based on the reading speed of the student. And students are advised to go through each lecture note thrice. People actually retain less than 10% of what they read at their first reading. On lecture days the notes are posted very early. Anytime students go online and show up in class they get to read the notes and place their learnings from the lecture or questions about the lecture as comments. So students get to know who else has been in class by reading through the comments he meets when he shows up in class.

What about exams and certificates?
With apologies to international students of the school, the SPL model was built with the Nigerian system in mind. There has been too much focus on paper qualification without a commensurate improvement on the person holding the certificate. If your car broke down on the highway, do you look for someone with a certificate in Mechanical Engineering or you look for someone who can fix your car?

While we respect the need for certificates in some areas, in Personal Leadership, certificates are useless. So, in SPL there are no exams and no certificates. What you learn is what you take away. Life will set the exams and issue the certificates. And from the feedback sessions conducted in previous sessions, not a single participant was bothered about a certificate at the end of the school. On the contrary, it spurred everyone to focus more during the lectures.

Are there interactions among students?
Since most of the participants are usually professionals in various fields (students have been less than 10percent since the inception of the school), interaction is highly encouraged. However due to time zone differences, there are usually more passive interactions than active interactions except if both parties happen to be online at the same time. Nevertheless, SPL is not a dating school, so the objective is not to provide you with your future husband or wife even though anything is possible.

Are there school ethics?
Yes, there are school ethics sent out to all paid participants with the program schedule. It is sent via mail to all paid participants the week the school opens, which is a week before the lecture begins. The school ethics are guides that will enable you get the best from the school. They are not rules, they are guides.

How many courses are taught at the school?
Presently, SPL offers four courses:

Personal Transformation and Leadership
Significant Habits
Entrepreneurial Mindset
Redefining Purpose

What else should I know?
SPL has two different modules presently:

1. The Premium session holds at the beginning of every quarter that is January, April, July, and October. But the school actually opens one week before the months just listed for there to be a welcome address, introduction of facilitator and students, and expectations. Everyone gets to give a profile of themselves, what motivated them to be part of the school and what they aim to get from the school. These expectations are inculcated into the lecture notes so everyone at the end of the school has their objective(s) met. Lecture finally begins first week of those months listed. There is continuous follow up from the facilitator to all participants of the school to ensure none is left behind. Sometimes, though in rare cases, the lecture notes are too heavy for some students, so such follow up enable the facilitator to guide the student through so he or she does not give up midway. And there is no limit to the questions that can be asked during the premium session. The Premium session costs N7,500 for people resident in Nigeria and US$50 for those resident outside Nigeria.

2. The Basic session holds on other months when the Premium session is not holding. It is targeted at young people below the age of 30. From undergraduates to people who are just at the early phase of their career paths in their jobs or just starting their own businesses. The Basic session holds for just two weekends: the 3rd and 4th weekend of the month, Saturdays and Sundays. The cost of the Basic session is N3,750 for people resident in Nigeria and US$30 for those resident outside Nigeria.

Mode of registration into any session of the SPL sessions will be made public weeks before the session begins and it will be on my facebook wall (www.facebook.com/mutehimself) and on the walls of past students of the school. Interested people will have to send me a friend request to be able to participate in the school.

Overall, it is a beautiful experience. And feedback sessions have shown that the school is worth far more than the fees. It may cost a little, but it saves you a lifetime of struggles. I encourage you to participate in the next session.

Thanks,
Mute Efe.
Facilitator, SPL
www.facebook.com/mutehimself
+234-803-874-9796