Quiz and Essay Competitions will Boost Education in Riverine Areas – MULADE

…Kokodiagbene and Ogidigben emerges winner in quiz and essay competition …schools in riverine communities to compete with urban schools soon – Comrade Sheriff …We are proud of Sheriff Mulade – Principal, Ogidigben Grammar School An Environmental Activists and House of Assembly hopeful, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, has said that the Peace and Unity Quiz/Essay Competitions organised for secondary school students in riverine communities today at Ogidigben, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta will help boost education in the area. The competition in its second edition is in two categories of quiz and essay for Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary 1 to 3 respectively, and had seven schools in Warri South West Local Government Area participating in English Language, Mathematics, Religious Knowledge, Basic Science and General Papers. The schools are; Gbaraun Grammar School, Oporoza; Okerenkoko Secondary School, Okerenkoko; Kokodiagbene Secondary School, Kokodiagbene; Ogbe-Ijoh Secondary School, Ogbe-Ijoh; Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben; Naifo Island Secondary School, Sandfill II and St. Cletus Secondary School, Sandfill II. In the quiz category, Kokodiagbene Secondary School emerged in the 1st position winning the N30,000 prize, while Gbaraun Grammar school and St. Cletus Secondary School emerged in the 2nd and 3rd position, winning N20,000 and N10,000 prizes, respectively. The essay competition saw Ogidigben Grammar School, Naifo Island Secondary School and Ogbe-Ijoh Grammar School coming in 1st, 2nd and 3rd position prizes of N50,000, N30,000 and N20,000 respectively. Speaking at the event, the sponsor of the quiz and essay competition, Comrade Sheriff Mulade said his desire is to encourage the youths in the riverine communities to have access to quality education and to compete with other schools in the cities. In his words, “The essence of this programme is for me to encourage and inspire our students in the riverine communities because most of us in these areas are victims of the lack of education. You will agree with me that some years back, education was very far from us. “If all of us are educated, we won’t need to struggle because there are some benefits around this area that we can tap from. And that is why I decided to embark on this mission to encourage the young ones to see that we can compete with others. “This competitions are more organised in the cities and not in the riverine areas. So, we want to organize this competition in a way that we will be competing with people from outside. And so, very soon, the best schools emerging from this competition will be competing with other schools that are to be selected from across the states,” he added. He also called on the government to find ways of motivating the teachers with enabling infrastructures like affordable transport and accommodation emphasizing on the fact that quality education would reduce conflicts in the region. Speaking on behalf of the Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chiebu Ebie, ably represented by the Chief Inspector of Education in Warri South West, Mrs. Okerie Christiana, while addressing students at the venue praised the sponsor for the initiative as she admonished participants to tap into the opportunities and to not see it as a do or die affair. “Because education was far from the people and because of his passion, the organiser of this event had to do something and started it in his own domain. You do not know where this competition would take you to. On that note I’m advising all students to put in their best but to also know it is not a do or die affair.” She also commended teachers for their efforts despite the challenges facing schools in the riverine communities but was quick to call for more seriousness on the teachers as performance, especially in Mathematics was very poor. Also speaking, the Principal of Ogidigben Grammar School, Dr. Joseph Onojafe, urged others to emulate Comrade Sheriff in the quiz and essay competition event he described as historic. “If 5 percent of the people who are privileged do this kind of thing in our local environment things would be better. Our schools are disadvantaged and we have never had this kind of competition before. So, we are proud of Comrade Sheriff and are happy as this will motivate the students to study more.” Present at the quiz and essay competition are; Comr. Sheriff Mulade; Mrs Okerie Christiana, Chief Inspector of Education (CIE), Warri South West; Mr. Ariwojo Eze, CIE, Ndokwa East; Mr. Lynniente Ekiseowei, Deputy to CIE, Warri South West; Dr. Joseph Onojafe, Principal of Ogidigben Grammar School; Mrs. Deinfegha Linda, Mr. Stephen Ohurhu. Others are Akraka Cletus, National Association of Proprietors of Private School, Warri South West Chapter; Comr. Jonathan Jes Adiri, Vice Principal, Naifo Island Secondary School; Mr. Omatseye Jonathan, Chairman of Ogidigben community youth body; Pastor Oreva Idudhe, Okezi Egbabor, and a host of prominent guests.