The search for future mathematicians and inventors begins as the 2017 Cowbellpedia mathematics TV quiz show opens.
The search for the best brains in mathematics and future inventors among secondary school students in Nigeria has kicked off as the 2017 edition of Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz show opened with excitement on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Mr. Olivier Thiry, Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria, explained to journalists that though Cowbell has been involved in the improvement of the standard of education in Nigeria in general and mathematics in particular, in the last two decades, the company has now brought all its initiatives under one umbrella last year with the launch of Cowbellpedia. He added that for this year, the thrust is to provide a creditable platform that will identify and reward excellence in the subject area of mathematics among Junior and Senior secondary school students in Nigeria.
Thiry noted that across the globe, investment in education is pioneering new frontiers. Governments and corporate organizations have come to realize that building capacity in STEM courses, of which Mathematics is a key component, represents the driving force for development in the 21st century.
As with the previous editions, the Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show is open to students in JSS 3 and SSS2 from 10-18 years of age attending full time Secondary Education in both Public and Private Schools in Nigeria.
While entry into this competition is free, the competition is divided into two Stages: the Stage 1 Qualifying Written Examination and the Stage 2 TV Quiz Show.
“For Stage 1, we are continuing with the initiative that we started in 2016 for Mixed Secondary Schools to nominate a minimum of two girls from each category to represent the school. This is our own little way of encouraging the girl child to take interest in education, especially the STEM courses,” Thiry said.
The ultimate prize for this year’s edition is One Million Naira and an all-expenses paid educational excursion outside the country while the 1st and 2nd runners up will go home with N750 000 and N500 000 respectively. The Teacher of the top prize student winner will be awarded N400 000 while Teachers of 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up will go home with N300 000 and N200 000 respectively.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Ikechukwu Anyanwu, Director, Quality Assurance, National Examination Council, NECO, who represented the Registrar praised Promasidor for the initiative which he said has been of tremendous benefits to mathematics education in Nigeria.
The 2016 winners, Miss Juliet Ekoko and Master AyoOluwa Oguntade also commended Promasidor for the opportunity given to them to hone their mathematics skill through the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Quiz Show.
For its Cowbellpedia initiative, Promasidor Nigeria won the Best Company in Education in awards organised by the SERA CSR Awards and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos Chapter in 2016.