By Bianca Iboma-Emefu

The Interswitch Group has announced the commencement of another edition of its National Science competition, Interswitch SPAK 3.0, in Nigeria. The firm advised secondary schools to visit the portal to register their best science students in Grade 11 or SS 2 for the competition.

Interswitch SPAK is an annual pan-African competition aimed at re-igniting and encouraging the study of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects among secondary school students.

A statement by Interswitch said schools are required to present their best science students in SS 2 and they can register a minimum of six and a maximum of 10 students. It said, for mixed schools, at least two female students must be selected.

“Every registered student will participate in the qualifying examination online, from their schools, homes or any convenient space.  The top 81 students will proceed to the finale to battle for the crown of Nigeria’s best science student.’’

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The statement added that the qualifying examination will hold between Friday 28 and Saturday, May 29, 2021.

Cherry Eromosele, group chief marketing and communication officer, Interswitch, expressed excitement about the new edition. She stated that the competition was back, bigger and better after the one-year hiatus occasioned by the disruptive impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. She also encouraged more girls to participate in this third edition of the on-going registration.

She said: “At Interswitch, we are committed to inculcating knowledge, aptitude and confidence, with a focus on improving the standard of education in Nigeria. We are  passionate about encouraging more students, especially girls, to take up STEM subjects. The good news is that we have seen an increase in the number of girls participating in the competition.

“We encourage teachers, school administrators, parents and guardians to ensure their students are registered. I also want to encourage the students to take hold of this opportunity to pursue their dreams. It is our belief that the year ahead will be very exciting.” 

The coveted prize is N12.5 million worth of university scholarship for the top three winners. The first prize winner gets N7.5 million scholarships spread over five years, a laptop and monthly stipends. The second prize is N4 million spread over three years and a laptop, and the third prize is N1 million for one year.