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By Victoria Ojeme

ONE of the educational  support programmes of the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges, NTIC, is the annual award of scholarships to students who have performed creditably well in science and mathematics competitions. The national mathematics competition is a yearly academic event of the NTIC aimed at promoting learning in science and mathematics to address the shortfall in technology-driven innovations, manufacturing and heavy industrialisation in Nigeria.

Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has placed premium in developing and building capacity of Nigerian students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country, with a view to expanding and widening the scope of technology and the extractive industry. Science/technology is one major sector of the economy that has capacity to form the national budget of any country if properly harnessed and new technology developed to encourage and sustain the manufacturing industry, driven by growth and optimum capacity utilisation on variety of products.

Optimum capacity utilisation

Ultimately, the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges has the buy-in to the Federal Government policy thrust to develop and build capacity in science and technology sub-sector of the nation’s economy, desirous of grooming the younger people in colleges to be technology-driven and inclined. The 15th edition of the Annual National Mathematics Competition, ANMC, is organised for maths enthusiasts in Primaries 5 and 6 across Nigeria by Nigerian Tulip International Colleges in conjunction with the National Mathematical Centre, an agency of the Federal Government trusted with the responsibility to develop and encourage Nigerian students to excel in the learning and study of mathematics.

The event which held in Abuja recently awarded 100 per cent scholarship to 48 exceptional pupils to cover their entire secondary school education, a demonstration by NTIC to support and encourage excellence. Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director of NTIC, Orhan Kertim stated that “For 15 years, NTIC has been promoting effective teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary level and developing greater capacity through National Mathematics Competition.”

According to him, in this year’s edition of the competition, about 39,500 pupils took the test in various states across Nigeria, but only 48 were able to make it to the top in the keenly competitive academic exercise.

Recounting the journey so far with ANMC, Mr. Kertim observed that “the competition which started in 2003 is now a nationwide prestigious competition that is responsible for sourcing great talents in the subject of mathematics, stressing that NTIC has been the only sponsor of this competition, though some level of collaboration is usually made to secure government representation through the National Mathematical Centre.

The zonal and regional award which took place in four zones (Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Ogun) on Saturday, April 7, 2018 witnessed the emergence of 48 exceptional students who were awarded 100 per cent full tuition that covered their entire secondary school year plus cash prizes. The top three positions were awarded full tuition plus cash prizes that ranged from N100,000-N300,000. Their math teachers were not left out as they too received cash prizes of up to N200,000. Their schools were not left out in the reward as gifts that ranged from giant size photocopiers to desktop computers, printers and smart phones were given out as prizes.

However, since the inception of the competition in 2003, 260,200 pupils have participated in the competition across Nigeria and the NTIC have offered 100 per cent scholarship that covers tuition plus hostel fee for six years (throughout secondary school) to many outstanding students who have participated in the competition.”

Sources close to NTIC disclosed that some of the students that came into NTIC through ANMC have been harnessed and are doing remarkably well. Notable among them were; Henry Aniobi, a 2007 winner. Henry is a three-time Pan African Mathematical Olympiad Winner with two gold, one silver (Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Nigeria). He is also a four-time International Mathematics Olympiad Bronze Medallist (Holland, Argentina, Columbia, S. Africa).

Ayomide Bamidele, a 2008 winner was a National Physics Olympiad winner in 2014. He also won International Physics Olympiad in 2014 at Kazakhstan winning a Bronze medal. Vincent Anioke, a 2006 winner scored 2,390 out of 2400 in S.A.T and gained scholarship into MIT, one of the world leading universities.

There are also the exceptional brilliance of Yusuf Atolagbe, Godwin Shitta, Opara Chioma,Glory Nmasinachukwu, Favour Adaobi, Okezie Chidozie, Yusuf Adbulmueez and many others who have all contributed in winning a total of 228 international medals for Nigeria at International Olympiads across the world and most importantly, excelling in their careers and academics across the world.

In his remark, the Deputy Managing Director of NTIC, Mr. Feyzullah Bilgin affirmed the school’s renewed commitment to keep organising the ANMC with the aim of enhancing the love for mathematics at the foundation level by sensitising, encouraging and motivating the interest of students in the study of Mathematical Sciences, thus paving the way for excellent performance in the study of science subjects.

The representative of the Director, Chief Executive of NMC, Dr. Steve Dele, expressed confidence and trust in the leadership of NTIC in their efforts to promote Mathematics and science education in Nigeria over the years. He said government is interested in reputable organisations like NTIC to partner in building and developing the capacity of the younger people in primary, secondary and university education in Nigeria.

As a school that prides itself on providing a high standard of education to its students, Nigerian Tulip International College has produced several excellent students who have made their country and school proud both in international  and national competitions in the academic field winning 37 gold, 51 silver and 61 bronze medals.

The students of NTIC have participated and won in prestigious competitions such as the Int’l Science Olympiad, INFOMATRIX Informatics Int’l Computer Project Olympiad, Int’l Art Competition,  Int’l Mathematical Olympiad, Int’l Genius Olympiad & ISWEEP, Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad (Tunisia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, South Africa) and more.

However, the success of the NTIC academics cannot be complete without the support of very sincere people of Nigeria and erudite students willing to learn and take corrections at all times, and also the patience of the parents in allowing the school authority to inculcate discipline and good culture. Expectedly, the NTIC is symbolic to the developing of primary, secondary and tertiary education and recently involved in the promotion and development of quality health through the establishment of the Nizamiye hospital in Abuja, which offers first class tertiary health services.

Contrary to the views held in some quarters about the affordability of the education services, it has been demonstrated in their consistent award of scholarship to indigent students and excellent performing students across its primary, secondary and university institutions, that the NTIC has not only established schools to impact knowledge but to encourage the less privileged to acquire quality education.

Some scholars in Nigeria and other parts of Europe have ranked NTIC as one of the leading institutions in the World that have contributed immensely to the development of education in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large..

That explains why its collaboration with the Nigerian government in building the education sector has been very consistent and harmonious in the several decades the First Surat Group, parent company of NTIC had operated in Nigeria.