As a strategy to support the Abia State government in promoting learning in the state, a Non-Governmental Organization, Ray Nkemdirim Foundation has instituted Abia State School Academic Competition, ASSAC across the zones in the State.
This competition is aimed at motivating students within the state towards sustained interest in learning.
Briefing Journalists in Umuahia, the Coordinator,Ray Nkemdirim Foundation, Uche Ama-Ohaka said that the Annual Scholarship and Quiz Competition will take off at the local government level from Monday April 12th – 16th while the zonal quiz competition would commence by April 19th – 2st with the grand finale holding on Friday May 26th,2021.
He disclosed that the first position will go home with a star price of N450,000, while the 1st and 2nd Runners Up will go home with N320,000 and N220,000 respectively.
According to him, there will be consolation prizes, trophies and medals, while the Scholarship Programme will be held as an annual event.
Ohaka said the competition is in partnership with the Abia State Ministry of Education, Abia State Secondary Education Management Board, SEMB, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools NAPPS, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, Abia State Scholarship Board as well as the FLO FM 94.9 Radio Station Umuahia.
He explained that the forms for participation are free of charge while schools are to pick up their forms from the offices of partner agencies.
“Ray Nkemdirim Foundation is a non profit organization with her mission summed up in strategic community-oriented actions for good governance and Sustainable development. Our sole aim is to contribute our quota to the uplifting of humanity.
“Our goal therefore is to leverage on the foundations resources, capacity and networks to ensure realization of the educational dreams of ordinary citizens hitherto hindered by finance and right motivations, and also to creatively support Abia State Government’s effort in the education sector.
“With this project, we hope to rightly stimulate, motivate and encourage learning in our state using various incentives, motivational and inspirational mechanisms like school quiz, debates, grants, scholarships, other productive competition and reward systems; we hope to engender sustained interest in education and openly reward efforts for more”, Ama-Ohaka noted.
Also speaking, the Representative of the Ministry of Education,Mr Kalu John while describing education as a veritable instrument for national development, noted that the burden of education cannot be borne by government alone.
He called on all stakeholders to partner with the Ministry to ensure that education in Abia is taken to a higher level and thanked the Founder, Chief Raymond Nkemdirim for the noble initiative.
The occasion attracted the presence of the NAPPS representative, Mrs Okezie Uchechi, Representative of the Abia State Scholarship Board, Dr. Mrs Anyanwu Nnenna as well as the Representative of the Secondary Education Management Board, Mrs Ezichi Ebere.
