From Geoffrey Anyanwu and Jude Chinedu, Enugu
For making it to the finals of the maiden edition of Onyema Abel Nwobodo quiz competition for public senior secondary schools in Nkanu East and West Local Governments in Enugu State, 12 students from four different schools have won for themselves awards running into thousands of naira.
The awards included the payment of their school fees, West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) fees and gifts of laptops, ipads, phones and other educational items.
Thirty out of the 36 public secondary schools in the two council areas participated in the quiz competition which started from zonal to local government level before the grand finale held at Unataeze Girls Secondary School, Nara in Nkanu East Local Government.
Unataeze Girls Secondary School emerged winners of the competition, Government Secondary School, Agbani, came second, Obe High School clinched the third position while Igwebuike Secondary School placed fourth.
The three representatives of Obe High School got certificate and bronze medal each for placing third, while their school received books worth N50, 000, two white boards and a trophy.
Government College students were presented with certificate, silver medal and a mini palmtop (ipad) each for placing second while their school got books worth N100, 000, three white boards and a trophy. The winner, Unateze Girls Secondary School students went home with plaque, gold medal and a laptop each, while their school received books worth N200, 000, five white boards and a trophy.
The Chairman Organizing Committee of the competition, Mr. Chukwuemeka Mba, said the event cost the sponsor over N3.5 million and thanked him for the gesture, noting that Chief Abel Nwobodo was a product of public school and decided to give back to the system that made him.
Speaking after the presentation of prizes, Chief Nwobodo, who is the Managing Director, Phenomenal Energy Ltd, said the basic idea behind the competition was to “let the kids know that no matter where they are, it is possible for them to excel in academics and also latter in life.
“We want to help them secure that strong foundation that will be a building block for them to keep getting and going higher in life.”
He urged government at all levels to strive to improve the education system, stating that “they should look very critically to see how we can close that gap. No nation can grow beyond its academic limits.”