*Pays WAEC registeration fees for best 33 final year students
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The member representing Oji River constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Osita Eze, has initiated competition among students in Oji River local government area as a measure of increasing the standard of education in Oji River local government area.
The state lawnaker said he muted the idea as his own contribution to the on going revolution in the education sector in Enugu state, championed by Governor Peter Mbah, through the on going Smart Schools project in each of the 260 wards in Enugu state.
His initiative titled, ‘Hon. Osita Eze Scholars Summit’ held at the late Hon. Gab Onuzulike Hall, within Oji River local government secretariat, where categories of awards and cash gifts were given to the best of students and teachers,selected from each of the 11 secondary schools in the entire Oji River local government area.
A total of 33 final year students from the eleven secondary schools in Oji River local government area will enjoy free registration of their external examination,West African Examination Council(WAEC),based on the fact that they emerged as the best three in their respective school.
The burden of paying for their WAEC registration fees have been satisfactority removed from their parents/guardians, as Hon.Osita Eze voluntarily accepted to pay the bills as his own personal initiative and efforts geared towards education revival in the school system through healthy competition.
His cheque of two million naira to cover cost of WAEC registration for the 33 students was displayed and presented at the ceremony by the chairman of Oji River local government area,Hon. Greg Anyaegbudike.
As part of activities to mark the summit, a quiz competition among the eleven secondary schools in Oji River local government area, conducted by officials from the state Post Primary Schools and Management Board(PPSMB) was won by Urban Secondary School Oji River.
Girls High School Inyi emerged runners up while Girls High School Isikwe Achi, clinched the third position.
The other secondary schools who were eliminated in the series were Anglican Girls Grammar School Achi, Corpus Christi College Achi, Model Comprehensive School Inyi, Awlaw High School Awlaw,Community Secondary School,Isiama Awlaw, Akpugoeze High School Akpugoeze, Girls Secondary School Ugwuoba and Community Secondary School Ugwuoba.
The first winner of the quiz competition, Urban Secondary School ,Oji River was presented with a golden cup and an undisclosed cash gift.
The second and third quiz winners,Girls High School Inyi and Girls High School Isikwe Achi,received only cash gifts,provided by the initiator/sponsor, Hon. Osita Eze.
There were consolation prizes for other schools while a pack of specially designed exercise books for the ceremony,were freely shared to all students who attended the summit.
The students of Special School Oji River also received cash award from Hon.Osita Eze for doing Enugu state proud in the last national competition where they emerged victorious.
The School Principals and Supervisory Councillors of Education in Oji River were also honoured by Hon.Osita Eze at the summit.Mrs Felicia Onyeazor, who recently went on transfer from Anglican Girls Gramnar School Achi to Queens School Enugu, was honoured as the most outstanding Principal from Awgu Education zone(Awgu/Oji River).
Hon. Osita Eze’s handshake of cash gift was also extended to the Youth sports team that excelled in the recently concluded youth foitball competition .
Many stakeholders from Oji River local government area, cut aciross the traditional institution and the political class in their speeches, poured encomium on Hon. Osita Eze for the initiative.
They were optimistic that the initiative fosters healthy competition among the schools as well as provides a source of encouragement to students to widen their scope of studies.
Hon. Emeribe, a former Solicitor General of the state, extolled Hon. Eze for his tremendous contribution in the Enugu Sate House of Assembly, most especially his recent bill for the revitalisation of the abandoned School of Veterinary Services Center Achi, Oji River local government area.
The Oji River local government chairman, Hon. Greg Anyaegbudike, described the summit as the first in the history of the local government,assuring to give maximum support to it’s sustenance since it entails on improving the standard of education in Oji River local government area,as enshrined in his manifesto.
Hon. Anyaegbudike disclosed that his administration is seriously committed to the realisation of the ‘Smart Schools’ project of the state government,through which Oji River Council area will gain 20, one in each of the 20 wards of the council area.
