By Marie-Therese Nanlong

JOS — Four pupils in Plateau State, including 10-year-old Izuchukwu Okafor, have excelled in a Mathematics competition organised by Nigerian Tulip International College, NTIC in conjunction with the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja winning  scholarship worth over N40 million for six years, have appealed to government at all levels to invest in education so that prevalent crimes in the society can be curbed.

The pupils from Plateau Private School and Founders International Academy all in Jos also tasked school children to discard any phobia they may have for mathematics but consistently practice and know the formulae which would help them solve mathematical problems.

Speaking in Jos with journalists, Master Izuchukwu Okafor of Plateau Private School who emerged 2nd out of 33,000 contestants from 19 states of the North and won a scholarship worth N12 million for himself as well as cash for himself and teacher, encouraged school children not to be afraid of mathematics as a subject saying, “Mathematics is an interesting subject if you know the formulae and you know the formulae by continuous practice.

“Government at all levels should invest in education, parents and teachers should encourage their children to have an interest in all subjects so that they can excel in their studies.”

Earlier, the school’s Managing Director, Lucky Momoh advocated a literate society saying, “if you think education is expensive, try ignorance, it costs more to maintain an illiterate society than a literate one. If education was adequately given to the children in the North-East, they will think twice before detonating bombs. Plateau Government should invest more especially in primary and secondary education because they are the foundation.

“Parents should encourage their children to engage in healthy competition because this will help remove phobia that Mathematics is a difficult subject. Since inception of this competition 14 years ago, we have always encouraged our pupils to participate and they have not disappointed us as they always distinguish themselves, winning prizes for themselves and the school.”

Similarly, three pupils from Founders International Academy emerged third, fourth and fifth with two of them getting full scholarships and cash gifts for themselves and school while the third contestant got a partial scholarship. And the Principal, Mrs. Alice Ekeoha urged caregivers to “instill great commitment to academic excellence” as the feat “reflects the high standard of Mathematical and problem-solving capabilities inculcated in learners in our school.”