* Faith Obunadike of GSS Apo Resettlement, winner of the senior secondary category holding her plaque*
By Taofeek Lawal
Government Secondary School (GSS) Apo Resettlement Abuja has emerged the winner of the maiden edition of the Sentosa Conservation Club (SCC) Quiz and Essay competition. The competition was organised to mark the 2022 International Day of the African Child with the theme: “Elimination of Harmful Practices Affecting Children.”
GSS Apo won in the senior secondary category with 10 points to push British Nigeria Academy and Government Secondary School Tundun Wada to second and third place with 9.5 points and 8.2 points respectively. In the junior secondary school category, Government Secondary School, Kabusa won with 9 points, Government Secondary School, Apo Legislative Quarters came second with 8 points and Junior Secondary School Apo Resettlement are third with 7 points. LEA Primary School, Gosa emerged winner in the primary school section with 8 points. Modern Primary School, Apo came second with 6.5 points while LEA Primary School, Wuse 1.
Speaking at the event, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, His Excellency Yanko Yordanov while commending the organisers for coming up with such a laudable competition advised the students to take their studies with all seriousness as it is a gateway to a guaranteed future. Yordanov who was represented by the Deputy Head of Mission, Georgi Yovchevski, said Bulgaria has offered scholarships to Nigerian students to study in his country.
” In Bulgaria, we know the importance of education because it has contributed greatly to our development since our independence in the 19th Century,” he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Dr Bamidele Babade was carefully chosen to tackle, eliminate and discuss harmful practices affecting African children and for the African child to realise his full rights and potentials. He said, “The Day of the African Child was first celebrated in Kenya in June 1991 and has since become an annual event. This year’s event is planned to bring students in public and private schools to celebrate the day in a beautiful and serene atmosphere. Activities for the day include but not limited to: reading the winning essays in various categories, quiz competition and the display of African cultural heritage as well as recitations to keep the memory of the day pleasant in the hearts of the African children.”
The Director, Junior Secondary School, Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Hajia Rahmatu Nusa, called on government to provide more infrastructure, l learning equipment and facilities in the Federal Capital Territory as the influx of school children from crisis-prone states has overstretched facilities in the nation’s capital.
Faith Obunadike of GSS Apo Resettlement, the winner of the senior secondary category called on fellow students to always be open to their parents and let them know what they are passing through emotionally and socially. She also advised them to share the knowledge learnt at the event to their friends. The International Day of the African Child is marked every June 16.
