The 9th edition of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Science Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State has concluded, with Kaiama Grammar School, Kaiama, and Federal Government Girls College, Imiringi, clinching the top prizes.

The grand finale, held on Wednesday at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT) Conference Centre in Swali, Yenagoa, also saw Apex Academy, Yenagoa, emerge as the second runner-up.

Each of the three winning schools received top-of-the-range laboratory equipment, an anatomical skeleton model, microscopes, an electronic compact scale, and a standard printer. Additionally, the six contestants from the winning schools were awarded an HP laptop each for their personal use.

In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager of the Corporate Communications Division, Obinna Ezeobi, described the quiz as a major event that demonstrates the Board's commitment to education through its sustenance for nine consecutive years.

He noted that the NTA had started the science quiz for secondary schools several years ago and invited the NCDMB into a partnership arrangement that has lasted till date. According to him, the partnership has endured because the two federal agencies share a "meeting of minds" on matters relating to education and capacity development.

Explaining the Board's mandate to develop indigenous capacity to enhance Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry, Ogbe stated that the Science Quiz Competition is designed to stimulate students' interest in science and technology, which he described as the bedrock of the sector.

He pointed out that the industry must continually develop the next generation of workers to replace the aging workforce, noting that this cycle of development has been ongoing since the industry began in 1957.

He highlighted that the Board has established Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in several secondary schools across the country, equipped with laptops, servers, interactive smartboards, and facilities for stable electricity supply, alongside training for teachers to impart the required knowledge and skills.

"We are hoping that we ignite in you interest in innovation so that you will be interested in finding solutions that will drive our oil and gas sector and solutions that enhance performance in other sectors of the national economy," he declared, adding that linkage sectors such as mining, agriculture, and construction are equally prioritised by the Board.

Addressing the students, Mr Ezeobi advised them to use their new HP laptops to develop digital skills to prepare for the future, rather than spending all their time on entertainment.

In a goodwill message, the General Manager of NTA Yenagoa, Mrs Mary Ekanem, commended the NCDMB for its prompt intervention in sustaining the Science Quiz Competition after it had been shelved due to financial constraints.

She stated that part of the NTA's mandate is to promote education, and the organisation has found an excellent partner in the Board. "NCDMB is helping the NTA in fulfilling its mandate in regard to education," she declared, noting that the competition encourages students to study and become knowledgeable.

Mrs Ekanem added that the NTA has a responsibility to manage information dissemination to ensure citizens are well-informed and enlightened, while also ensuring national unity, objectivity, and balance.

The Coordinator of the Science Quiz, Mr David Oyintare Enemiebor, expressed gratitude to the NCDMB for expanding the competition's participation by increasing the number of schools from 16 to 32, and for raising the profile of the event through the provision of high-quality prizes.

"NCDMB, you have made great impact," he stated.

The event concluded with the presentation of prizes to the winning schools and the students who represented their institutions.