Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
An education-friendly body, under the auspices of Spelling Bee Africa Organization, is to splash a whooping sum of N10 million on the winners of the national competition of the prestigious body in 2023.
The body’s National Coordinator, Queeneth Owolabi, in a chat with journalists during a working visit to Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, revealed that an aggregate of 31 states will be participating in the programme across the 36 states of the federation.
Owolabi added that besides the N10 million cash gift for winners, the overall best student will enjoy overseas excursion with cash gifts at the programme’s grand finale slated for August 15, 2023, in Lagos.
The organiser revealed that laptop computers will be distributed as consolation prizes to participants at the event conceptualised to boost education at the secondary school cadre across Nigeria.
The national coordinator stated that the programme, targeted at promoting education in Nigeria, will be co-sponsored by MTN, Maltina and Zinox Technology.
Owolabi said: “We are also reaching out to other education-friendly organisations like Elizade Motors, BUA Cement, Geregu Power Limited, AA Rano, Tony Elumelu Foundation and Cuppy Foundation, so that we can have enough funding to help in propelling this programme.
“Education all over the world is not funded by government alone, it has assumed a Public-Private Partnership dimension, and such practice must be brought to bear in our country.
“Partnering with reputable organisations becomes imperative, because Nigeria remains one the most educated countries globally, but with high level of poverty.
“Our organisation thought of overseas excursion for the overall best student, so that such candidate can get more experiences and exposure about education.”
