Management of Gifted and Talented Students in Secondary Schools in Lagos State

This study examines the management of gifted and talented students in secondary schools in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Gifted and talented learners represent a significant national intellectual asset whose full potential can only be realised through appropriate identification and provision. While Nigeria's National Policy on Education acknowledges gifted education, systematic provision remains limited in most public secondary schools, where attention is disproportionately directed toward addressing underperformance rather than maximising high-end potential. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with data from 40 school counsellors, 100 subject teachers, and 200 students nominated as gifted by their teachers across 20 secondary schools in Lagos Island, Victoria Island, and Alimosho. Gifted management practices assessed include identification procedures, programme differentiation, enrichment opportunities, and mentoring availability. Student outcomes assessed include academic achievement, creative output, and self-reported intellectual stimulation. Regression and descriptive analyses were applied. Results reveal that most schools lack formal gifted identification systems and rely on informal teacher nomination. Differentiated instruction for gifted learners is rare, and enrichment opportunities are limited to a small number of better-resourced schools. The study concludes that gifted education management in Lagos State secondary schools is inadequate and requires systematic policy attention. It recommends that the Lagos State Ministry of Education develop a formal gifted education policy, introduce standardised gifted identification procedures, and create a network of enrichment programmes including advanced study groups and science olympiad preparation to nurture exceptional talent.

Keywords: gifted education, talented students, management, secondary school, Lagos State.