Some secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will be competing for N17.5 million prize in a quiz competition organised by a non-governmental organisation, Education Champions League (ECL), to promote reading habits among students.
The competition, slated for September 2024, has the potential to make a positive impact on the educational landscape in Rivers State and beyond. They said it is designed to test a range of skills developed through reading, including comprehension, analytical thinking, and general knowledge, while also assessing them on their reading fluency as well as oral and written skills.
The group added that the competition would inspire students to explore new ideas, broaden their perspectives, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
While the winner will be rewarded with N10 million, the first and second runners-up will get N5 million and N2.5 million cash respectively, and other gifts.
According to the group, 25 per cent of the prize money for each position will be used to buy books; another 25 per cent will be made available to schools as institutional support, while 50 per cent will go to the students.
Chairman, ECL board, Prof. Eme Ekekwe, said books to be used for the 2024 competition include: Simon Kolawole’s Fellow Nigerians, It’s All Politics; Waziri Adio’s The Arc of the Possible; and Bolaji Abdullahi’s On a Platter of Gold.
Ekekwe said; “We want to begin to build the core of Nigerians interested in leadership and in being good citizens. We believe if we start from the secondary school level, it will help those crop of Nigerians to take responsibility in the society, and run those positions transparently, honestly and in a way that meet some of the things we think are lacking now, in terms of leadership.
“And one specific tool we want to use is to get young people to begin to read. When they read, they are aware of their environment and can understand the issues affecting them.” He expressed concern over the declining reading culture,” blaming it on negative social media influence.
“A book leads you through a process, which is invaluable, whereas most of what is on social media are not materials for leadership or good citizenship. Whether you read online or hardcopy, please read.”
