The National Examination Council (NECO) has commended Promasidor Nigeria Limited for stimulating the interest of Nigerian students in Mathematics through the Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show, sponsored byCowbell, the company’s flagship brand.
Speaking to newsmen at the finals of the 2017 CowbellpediaSecondary Schools Mathematics Television Quiz Show in Lagos last weekend,the Registrar, Professor Charles Uwakwe said that the competitionhas considerably reduced the phobia for Mathematics among students across the country.
Mathematics, regarded as the soul of science, is dreaded by most students, resulting in declining performance in the subject at the examinations conducted by the majorexamining bodies; NECO and West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Uwakwe maintained that the Cowbellpedia initiative has demystified the terror of Mathematics that has been killing the dreams of many students. He cited the figure for this year’s qualifyingexaminations as proof ofthe renewed interest of a lot of students in the subject.
Compared to the enrolment figures of 27,000 participants in 2015 and 46,000 in 2016, 52,000 students participated in the 2017 nationwide examinations, out of which 108 moved to the second stage, which is the Television Quiz Show with five of the students having a perfect score of 100 percent.
The NECO Registrarcommended Promasidor for the Cowbellpedia initiative andpledged the council’s continued technical support for the project in appreciation of what he described as “Promasidor’s great Corporate Social Responsibility to the Nigerian society.”
Meanwhile, in thebreath-taking finals,Jesse Uche-Nwichiof Graceland International School, Rivers State and Munachi Ernest-Ezefrom Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, emerged champions in the Junior and Senior categories respectively. For their feat, theywere rewardedwith N1 million each and an all-expense paid education excursion outside the country.
Oluwanifise Onafowokan of The Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State and Evans Owamoyo of Greater Tomorrow International College, Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State, were the first and second runners-up respectively in the Senior category, while Oluwafemi Adeyanju of Jesuit Memorial College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Ezekiel Ekanem of Advanced Breed Group of Schools, Sagamu, Ogun State finished first and second runners-up in the Junior category.
The first and second runners-up for each category won N750,000 and N500,000 respectively.
Each teacher of the 2017 champions won N400,000, while those of the first and second runners-up received N300,000 and N200,000 respectively. Also, the winning schools won Mathematics textbooks, desktop computers and printers.
Speaking to newsmen outside the studio, the Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Anders Einarsson reiterated the commitment of the company towards education and assured that Promasidor will continue to support the academic development of Nigerian children.
