Success excites pupils at science competition

•L-R: Winners of the primary school category, Enameguono Aroesiri; and Adaverihi Efere; General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arinze; and winners of the secondary school category, Adolalom Obinna and Ononiwu Benjamin, at the finals in Asaba, Delta State

Winners of this year’s Mobil Producing Nigeria/Science Teachers Association of Nigeria science competition relive the secret of their success, CHARLES ABAH reports

for pupils of the Delta Steel Company Model School Aladja, winning science competitions is as simple as to reciting nursery rhymes. Of course, they have enough reasons to hold this view. Between 2010 and 2014, the school won the NNPC/MPN STAN National Science Quiz Competition at the primary school level.

The pupils won the quiz contest in Makurdi, Benue State in 2010; Akure, Ondo State in 2011; Abuja, Federal Capital Territory in 2012; to Uyo, Akwa Ibom in 2013. Also, they have emerged tops in many of the nation’s science competitions, such as the Nigerian Turkish School Mathematics Competition, carting away prizes and laurels in the process.

Just last Friday at their backyard in Asaba, Delta State, they again emerged victorious, leading the no fewer than 2,000 pupils that participated in this year’s STAN contest across the country. Representatives of Imo, Benue and Osun states came second, third and fourth in that order at the primary school level. The goal of the competition is to promote science technology and mathematics education.

Watching the 12-year-old Adaverhi Erere and 10-year-old Enameguono Aroesiri, who represented the school and Delta State, was a delight. From the Basic Science and Technology to Basic Mathematics questions, they made a mincemeat questions and obtained their full marks. No wonder, their intellect and accurate responses to the questions attracted resounding applause from the audience.

Even at that, the youngsters, who spoke to our correspondent, said the victory did not come so easily. It took them many months of hard work and self-denial to come this far. According to Erere, preparing for this year’s contest cost them their holidays and many weekends of staying together with members of their respective families.

She said, “I read many science books, especially Chemistry and Biology text books. I also read Junior Secondary School Mathematics books to prepare for this competition. For over two months, our teachers subjected us to intense coaching.”

Erere, who lost her father when she was four years old, adds that they came first at the state level of the competition.

Aroesiri agreed with her, noting that their science teacher, Mr. Emmanuel Ekoluwo, gave them extra lessons in preparing for the contest. The lad added, “The fact that my school had won the competition for four consecutive years gave us the extra push and we were not ready to disappoint.”

Sharing the secret of their success, Ekoluwo hailed the determination of the youngsters, saying that they all sacrificed their weekends and holidays to achieve the glory.

The teacher, who said the competition would help to grow science and technology in the country, however urged the Delta State Government to accord the school a special recognition.

He said, “For some years now, the school has won this competition, yet it has not received any recognition from the state government. It has also not received any sponsorship. There has also not been any acknowledgment for us the science teachers that have taken these pupils to level. This is not encouraging.”

Further attesting to their intellect, Ekoluwo noted that the duo would this September in Ilorin, Kwara State; represent Delta State in the Mathematical Association of Nigeria competition.

At the secondary school category, 17-year-old Benjamin Ononiwu and 14-year-old Obinna Adalalom ensured that the N100, 000 prize money went to Imo State. The duo beat other contenders from Osun, Enugu, Akwa Ibom Ondo and Benue states, to go home with the trophy.

Adalalom, who was in the team that represented Imo State at the primary school level in 2012, when the state emerged runner-up in the competition, expressed happiness that he had eventually become a gold medalist.

The SS2 pupil of the Living Word Academy, Nkwerre, who wants to study Medicine, said, “It has not been easy getting to this level. My happiness is that what I narrowly missed in 2012 has come my now two years after. I have not been going on holidays because I was preparing for this. Today, I have become a national champion and I am fulfilled at this stage in my life.”

For Ononiwu, a pupil of the Alvana Model Secondary School, Owerri, it was success achieved at a great cost. According to him, he participated and failed to win in the contest at the primary school level some years ago.

Meanwhile, the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, MPN, Mr. Paul Arinze, who described this year’s theme, “STEM and Creativity”, as apt, said the company, through its sponsorship, had contributed to promotion of the standard of science education in the country

He said, “We are pleased that our support over the years has helped this organisation realise its principal objective of fostering co-operation among science teachers with a view to raising the standard of science education in the country.

“By supporting education, especially science, mathematics and technology education, we are making an investment in our future by establishing the next generation of science professionals and equipping them with a strong foundation for the future.

“In order for Nigeria to join the league of technologically advanced and economically prosperous nations, deploying creativity in technology is essential, and science education will play a crucial role in fulfilling this objective.”

The former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission and Director of the Quiz Bureau, Prof. Peter Okebukola, commended the sponsors for their commitment to science education.

He, however, urged teachers and other stakeholders to work harder to present better and sharper participants in future competitions.

He said, “Last year, it was most exemplary. It was quite heart-warming that our pupils could do so well because there were some questions that came out that many teachers could not answer within the timeframe.

“This year, I could not see that lustre and that shine. A few things could be accountable for this observation. It could be that the process leading to the winners at the state level to come to the national level was weak. I guess they did not use the best mechanism to get the best pupils to come for the finals. I know there are many students at the state level who are sharper than those presented for this year’s competition are.”