By Peace Udugba
Science Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State concluded on Wednesday at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT) Conference Centre, Swali, Yenagoa, with Kaiama Grammar School, Kaiama, and Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Imiringi, emerging as joint winners.
Apex Academy, Yenagoa, finished as the second runner-up in the keenly contested competition, which brought together students from secondary schools across the state.
The winning schools received top-of-the-range laboratory equipment, including anatomical skeleton models, microscopes, electronic compact scales, and standard printers. In addition, the six student contestants representing the top schools were each awarded an HP laptop for personal use.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, described the quiz competition as one of the Board’s flagship educational initiatives.
He noted that the NCDMB has consistently sponsored the competition for nine consecutive years, demonstrating its commitment to education and capacity development.
According to him, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) initiated the science quiz competition several years ago and later entered into a partnership with the NCDMB, a collaboration that has remained strong due to the agencies’ shared commitment to education.
“The partnership has endured because both organisations have a meeting of minds on issues relating to education and capacity development,” he said.
Dr. Ezeobi explained that the Board’s mandate includes developing indigenous capacity to increase Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry.
He added that the science quiz competition helps stimulate students’ interest in science and technology, which are critical to the sector’s growth.
“It is in our interest to develop the young people who will work in the industry in the years ahead as the current workforce ages,” he stated.
He further highlighted several educational interventions undertaken by the Board, including the establishment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in secondary schools across the country. These centres are equipped with laptops, servers, interactive smart boards, and reliable power supply systems.
According to him, teachers in many of the beneficiary schools have also received ICT training to enhance their capacity to impart digital skills to students.
“We are hoping that we ignite in you an interest in innovation so that you will be motivated to find solutions that will drive our oil and gas sector and improve performance in other sectors of the national economy,” he said.
He added that the Board also prioritises other key sectors, including mining, agriculture, and construction.
Addressing the students, Dr. Ezeobi encouraged them to use their newly acquired laptops to develop digital and technological skills rather than devote excessive time to entertainment.
In her goodwill message, the General Manager of NTA Yenagoa, Mrs. Mary Ekanem, commended the NCDMB for sustaining the competition after it was previously suspended due to financial challenges.
She noted that promoting education is part of the NTA’s mandate and described the NCDMB as a reliable partner in achieving that objective.
“NCDMB is helping the NTA fulfil its mandate in the area of education,” she said, stressing that education remains a vital tool for national development.
Mrs. Ekanem added that the competition encourages students to study harder and broaden their knowledge, while also supporting the NTA’s mission of informing, enlightening, and promoting national unity through objective and balanced information dissemination.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Science Quiz Competition, Mr. David Oyintare Enemiebor, expressed appreciation to the NCDMB for expanding participation from 16 to 32 schools and for enhancing the profile of the competition through the provision of high-quality prizes.
“NCDMB, you have made a great impact,” he said.
The event concluded with the presentation of prizes to the winning schools and the students who represented them.
