The World Best TV Show, organisers of National Spell It Battle of Champions, has urged governments, individuals and organisations to revive school competitions toward national development.
The National Coordinator of the Non-Governmental Organisation, Mr Fred Iwuoha, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
Iwuoha said that the organisation which was into Bell Weather Educational TV Programme – had been promoting literacy and learning through competitions.
He said that the NGO supported children’s educational activities.
According to him, investment in education and promotion of competitions among students would tackle numerous challenges facing the nation.
Iwuoha urged governments, well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to invest in educational activities to build a sustainable future.
“This kind of motivation can reduce the number of out-of-school children, violence and crimes, and address a lot of societal challenges.
“Government is trying its best but needs to do more.
“We need to invest more in education to change the mindset of the younger generation.
“We can inject in them the right values that can transform this nation and help the children which are the leaders of tomorrow,” Iwuoha said.
The coordinator said that the organisation’s annual competitions, which started in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, had covered 32 states with the second National Spell It Battle of Champions held at the National Stadium, Abuja, on Sept 10.
Iwuoha said that the competition motivated winners with huge sums to enhance studies, adding that over N100 million had gone into the project with support from some companies.
“We give winners cash prizes and medals at the state level. The winners will represent the states at the national level.
“We just concluded a national competition in Abuja where the winner of the Upper Primary School Category got a star prize of N1 million, first runner up, N500, 000 and the second runner, N250,000.
“For the Junior Secondary Category, the national prize for the winner was N500,000, the first runner up, N250,000 while the second runner up got N100,000.
“This is a form of scholarship, it is a cash scholarship from us to the children,” he said.
Iwuoha commended the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, for taking care of the Primary School Category second runner up.
He urged more public-spirited Nigerians to support the organisation in the cause of promoting learning.
Iwuoha said Master Aliyu Mustapha of Zee Excellent School, Ogun, emerged the winner of the JSS Category in the last edition held in Abuja, while Adetunji Glory of Vinpet Standard College, Ekiti, came second and Harrison Haziel of First Ghana Experimental School, Adamawa, emerged third.
For Higher Primary Category, he said that Oluwajimade Lydia of Sacred Heart School, Oyo State, emerged the overall winner while Christabel Chinedu of Oak Hills International School, Nassarawa, came second and Chiabotu Stephen of Jewel Model School, Abuja, came third.
