By Dayo Adesulu
In its avowed bid to encourage science students and other stakeholders to participate in the development of creative thinking in the educational system, Science Quest International, a private organization has positioned itself to use competitions and other platforms within its structure to allowing our students gain valuable experience.

Speaking at a press  briefing recently, the National Coordinator, Mr Ope Omodanisi said that the competition has been put together to promote the essence of science education in Nigeria and beyond.

He reiterated that the competition is designed for students between ages 13 and 17 in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria who will participate in four major science subjects which will include General Science, Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

Lamenting the scenerio of our students failures, Omodanisi said that, in 2008, of the 91% result  processed, only 34.1% or 127,200 out of 372,600 obtained credits and above including English and Mathematics in Nigeria.  Even then, of this successful group, only 23.1 % actually got above five credits including English and Mathematics.

Results of the 2009 National Examination Council (NECO) June/July Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations recorded mass failure of candidates as only 126,500 candidates out of 1,184,907 candidates scored five credits. That’s a 10.7% success rate and a 0.08% success rate in Science Subjects..

Again, he pointed out that in 2010, the National Examination Council (NECO), released the results of the June/July Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), which showed another poor performance by candidates that sat for the examination.

While a total of 1,143,169 candidates registered for the examination, 1,132,357 actually sat for the examination. A breakdown of the results showed that only 244,456 candidates passed English Language at credit level while 279,974 passed Mathematics.

Forty-three per cent of the number of candidates that sat for the examination passed at credit level in Biology, just as 29.49 per cent attained the same level in Physics and 36.18 per cent in Chemistry.

Borne out of the foregoing,  Omodanisi stated that the programme slated for October 13, 2010 will bring together students in both Junior and Senior secondary schools of about one thousand schools for the competition.

He noted that the facilitators will include professors, lecturers, teachers, officials from state agencies and institutions to evaluate students’ performance as there is going to be elimination of participants until the final winners emerge.. “Already the competition has commenced with schools registration in progress,” he said

Moreover, Omodanisi asserted that winners in the competition will be handsomely rewarded. Explaining the benefits for the winners, he remarked that there shall be rewards for Junior, Senior categories and the schools they represented.

For the junior category he said that 1st prize will get $1000, laptop, 2nd prize to get $500, play station and 3rd prize to $250, mountain bike. The senior category are not left out as 1st prize $1000, laptop, 2nd prize: $500 special digital scientific calculator, while 3rd prize stands to get $250 shopping voucher.
The school that produced those intelligent students will not go unrewarded said Omodanisi saying that the organisation will equip their laboratories, present giant trophies, medals and sophisticated plaques.
The grand finale of the competition according to the national coordinator comes up 3rd – 5th November this year stressing that the first edition will be in Lagos and the subsequent editions nationwide.