Foundation organises quiz for Ondo Schools to boost education

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Miteda Wellness Initiative, says its first edition of quiz competition among secondary schools is to boost dwindling educational fortune in the Akoko areas of Ondo State.

The Chairman of the foundation,Dr Funmilola Williams-Daudu on the sideline of the event on Monday at Ikaram Akoko told newsmen that she thought about the programme because of the fallen standard of secondary schools in the area.

Williams-Daudu, who had been organising a medicall outreach in the last seven years, said that 18 schools started in the preliminary stage of the competition, where five schools slugged it out at the final phase of the competition.

The chairperson of the foundation said she was trying to bring ‘wellness’ into education in Akoko region.

“Miteda wellness initiative has been for the past seven years and we focused on the area of health, attending to health need of the people of Ondo State, with concentration in Akoko.

“But I think about few months ago, I came in and I looked at the falling standard of public schools and I feel also wellness can be brought into the area of secondary school, whereby that was what brought out ‘worthy purpose’, the theme of the competition,” she said.

She said her family had always been supportive, especially in paying for WAEC of some of the students, promising to help some of the schools hire teachers for important subjects like Mathematics and English.

Williams-Daudu urged the well-meaning Nigerians to help government and the future of the nation by investing in the educational sector and not allow government schools’ fortune to collapse.

Also, former Head of Service and former Commissioner in the State, Mr Akin Adaramola said the competition was a positive way of rejuvenating education.

Adaramola said competition was part of what was being done in the past to improve academic pursuit and it would be building confidence in the students.

“Another one is that we have neglected is spelling competition in schools, this are the things that are being done in the past, when you have quiz and debating societies,” he said.

He lamented the fallen standard of education in the state, where Parents Teachers Association (PTA) had to be employing teachers for schools where government had neglected.

Also, Mr Adebowale Omosehin, the Secretary of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools(ANCOPSS) in Ondo State said the quiz would add real value to educational development in the area and the state at large.

Omosehin said that one of the challenges the educational sector was facing was because people were not thinking of the initiative because the sector itself was collapsing.

“We are happy at the ANCOPSS level that we are having someone who is taking the initiative to energise and support the system and we are supporting her fully,” he said.

A student,Miss Favour Olukoji, who was one of the representatives the school the came first ,Akoko Anglican Grammar School, thanked the organisers and her teachers for the opportunity to participate in the tournament.

Akoko Anglican Grammar School, Arigidi Akoko emerged first, while Ajuta High School, Ogbagi Akoko came second and Ajowa Community Grammar School came third.

Prizes like Genator, Public address system, laboratory equipments and books were given to the top five schools that participated in the final stages of the competition.