BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

TWELVE students comprised of six each in junior and senior secondary levels respectively from schools in the six states of the South-South geo-political zone sat for second stage examination of Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last Saturday.

The students with the highest score in each of the two categories (Junior and Senior) will proceed to the national and final examinations to determine the overall winners in Abuja. Nine boys and three girls wrote the zonal examination.

For the Junior category, coming as 1st stage winners were:

*Anwana Edikan Umoh, Airforce Comprehensive School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State;

*Orumighen Emmanuel, Glorious Group of Schools International, Bayelsa.

*Ekpe Uduak Abasi Emmanuel, Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Akpab, Cross River

*Agbonifo Emmanuel Ehinomen, DSC Technical High School, Delta.

*Orole Alexander O. Immaculate Conception College, Edo.

*Momoh Abdul Razaq, Charles Dale Memorial International School, Rivers.

For the senior category were the following students:

*Ekpo Kenneth Udo Ekpo, Top Faith International Secondary School, Akwa Ibom.

*Jonah Eteli D. Earnest, Ayakpo Comprehensive College, Bayelsa.

*Antai Anita Asuquo, University of Calabar Int’l Secondary School, Agbor Layout, Cross River.

*Eyakwaire Presley, Delta Steel Company Technical High School, Delta.

*Ituma C. Victoria, University Preparatory Secondary School, Edo.

*Nwokotubo U. Charles, Grace Land International School, Port Harcourt.

The examination was in two parts for both junior and secondary categories – Theory and objective and candidates were required to answer all the questions within one hour and forty five minutes.

Mr. Nedinukah Elechi, Director, Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Rivers State, was the invigilator, assisted by Mr. Ideh Idongesit, Sales Manager, Cowbell, Port Harcourt, in charge of Rivers and Bayelsa.

Students writing the examination

Asked about his impression after the examination, Mr. Elechi said that what Cowbell is doing is very encouraging because the students have developed competitive spirit and with this the phobia on Mathematics put off.

“There is no subject without Mathematics. I commend Cowbell/Promasidor for their steadfastness and consistency in sponsoring this national competition.”

While acknowledging that there are co-ordinators at state level in the various ministries of education, but none at the zonal level who can report back to the ministries on what happened at the zonal stage.

Some of the students interviewed expressed their feelings about the examination.

Charles Nwokotubo, SS2 student of GraceLand International School, Port Harcourt who emerged best in Junior category in 2009 edition said he was not worried at all.

On how he saw the examination:

“It was not so hard, just that the time was not enough. No difficulty, except that some questions don’t have answers because I solved them over and over again. At the end, I just shaded the option.”

Why should they set questions that have no answer?

“They may do so because nobody should get 100 per cent. May be also because I did not solve it well. By the grace of God, I will come out well as in 2009. I prepared well, and sure of every question. No question that I did not treat.”

What about your teacher?

“My teacher did well in preparing me for the examination. Almost everything that I know is from the teacher.”

And your parents?

“They help me by giving me so much of encouragement.”

Charles said he would like to study engineering in future, but has not decided on the field.

Alexander Orole, 14 years old, from Immaculate Conception College, Benin City, Edo State, in the Junior category, said the examination was a bit tough – both the written and objective.

“The questions were tricky and challenging, I don’t know if I can make it. I tried to answer the questions well. I hope to do well. I came with my teacher (Miss Flora Kalu) who had been helpful and encouraging.

I prepared well through my teacher and text books.”

Kenneth Ekpo, 16 years, Topfaith International Secondary School, Mkpatac, Akwa Ibom, said the examination was okay.

“It was not easy, not too bad. I’m very sure and positive, able to answer all the questions. The only problem was on linear equation. I took so much time on this. I prepared well.”

On his teacher:

“My teacher, Otoko Essien did well for me. I like Mathematics a lot. People run away from Mathematics because they don’t try. They look at it from the surface. It is not as difficult as people think.”