Professor Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy was evidently excited today with the testimonials of coordinators of Nigeria Computer Society flagship National IT Whizkids Competition during the prize presentation at the ongoing NCS Conference – S3N2022.
Pantami, a strong advocate of digital skills over paper qualifications, was delighted with the performances of the secondary students who keenly contest in the competition as stated by Professor Adesina Sodiya and Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Babalola; President and Chairperson, Education and Manpower Development Committee of NCS, respectively.
They said that the students demonstrated good understanding of the quiz coverage area drawn from computer Studies curriculum as approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria and emerging trend in technology.
The National IT Whizkids Competition is to stimulate the interest and passion of young minds in Information Technology.
The competition is organized by Nigeria Computer Society and other partners for Secondary school students.
Entrants are usually expected to participate in the competition which is fully on IT related subject matter; moving from State to Zonal and National levels.
At the end of 2022 National IT Whizkids Competition, Valerie Zara Ezenwoko, SS1 student of Deeper Life High School, Uyo Akwa-Ibom State took the first position, followed by Orebiyi Emmanuel Oluwatimileyin of African Church Grammar School, Ogun state.
The third position went to Victor Uma Okpe of Grundtvig international Secondary School, Anambra state and Abdulyassar Yahaya Musa, a student of Day Science College Kano, Kano state, occupies the fourth position.
NCS presented laptop and cash prizes (amount undisclosed) to the students.
However, the climax of the occasion was when Prof. Pantami stepped in to express Federal Government’s delight with the students’ performances.
He pledged cash gifts worth N1,000,000 (first – N500,000; Second – N300,000; third and fourth – N100,000 each) to the students.
Furthermore, the Minister said that agencies under the Ministry will take up the duty of construction of special ICT projects in the schools represented by the students.
The announcement was greeted by cheers from the College of Fellows, the National Executive Council (NEC) and hundreds of NCS members present at the conference – S3N2022.
He didn’t stop there. Pantami said that the Ministry will partner with NCS during subsequent editions of the the competition to provide improved prizes to the winners as means encourage STEM – (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in Nigeria.
This is an awesome experience today and as well the best conference ever. congratulations