Gov AbdulRasaq splashes cash rewards on winners of presidential debate
By Mahmood Olayinka Alaya
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the weekend hosted the six public school students who won the presidential debate competition in Abuja, rewarding each of them with N1m cash gift and state scholarship for their undergraduate studies in any discipline.
The Governor called the students the pride of the government and people of Kwara State, commending them for their impressive outing and thanking their parents, teachers and leadership of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB) for their roles in the feat.
Kwara recently won the 63rd edition of the presidential debate in Abuja for the second time in a row, asserting its leadership in the competition, which involves participants from the states of the federation.
Kwara had also won the last edition of the speaking contest in 2021 in Lagos, with the winners similarly accorded a state reception by the Governor, cash rewards, and university scholarship.
The victory in Lagos saw Kwara representing Nigeria at the International Debate Competition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
With their latest victory, they will now represent Nigeria at the World school debate championship in the Republic of Serbia in Europe.
The latest champions were led to Government House Ilorin by the Chairman state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Professor Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, who also came home with an award of being the best SUBEB Chairman in Northern Nigeria.
The Debate Team, which comprised exclusively students from public schools, include Mashood Kamaldeen (Government Secondary School, Ilorin East LG); Jatto Ramatallahi (Offa Grammar School, Offa); Jimoh Abayomi Emmanuel (Tanke Community Junior Secondary School, Ilorin South); Emmanuel Chioma (St. Anthony Junior Secondary School, Ilorin East); Dolapo Mariam (Offa Grammar School, Offa); and AbdulKareem Uswat ( Okelele Junior Secondary School Ilorin East).
Acknowledging that gaps still exist in the education sector, Governor AbdulRazaq pledged to continue to invest in human capital development to totally restore the glory of Kwara as the best state in education in Northern Nigeria, if not the whole country.
“There is a lot to be done in our curriculum and in education. We know where we are coming from, but we are committed to beating our own record,” he said.
“Our aim is not just to top education in Northern Nigeria but in Nigeria as a whole. And we can achieve that. We just have to be deliberate in our quest for what we want to achieve. That is why you are a shining example of what we can achieve if we set our goal properly.”
In her remarks, Commissioner for Education Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, said the success story was a product of the government’s investments in the education sector, which, she noted, is already bearing fruits, commending the Governor for his visionary leadership.
Also speaking, SUBEB Chairman, Professor Adaramaja thanked Governor AbdulRazaq for taking the basic education in the state with all seriousness and for leading by example, calling him the main architect of the victory.
The reception was attended by the Chairman House Committee on Education Hon. Baba Boriya; Chief of Staff to the Governor Prince AbdulKadir Mahe; Commissioner for Education Sa’adatu Modibbo kawu; Special Adviser on Education Dr. Adetola Salau Ariyike; former Senior Special Assistant for Special Duties Alhaji Abdulrazaq Jiddah; and teachers and parents of the celebrities.
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