President's School Debate Nigeria (PSDN) has honoured Ekiti State and Governor Ayodele Fayose for the outstanding performance of the state’s students in national and international academic competitions.
The PSDN, which was in Ekiti State to present the various trophies won by Ekiti State and the certificate received for being the best first timer at the last International Debate Championship in Singapore in April.
At a reception for the students, held at the government house grounds in Ado Ekiti, the National Coordinator of PSDN, Elder Dare Oritu, noted that Ekiti contingent came first in the National Junior Engineering and Technology Skill (JETS) competition, “while in NECO examinations the state was adjudged the best in the whole federation”.
Ekiti had emerged the best in national essay competition, Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) fair; overall best in essay competition and overall best in Young Scientists Competition among others.
Speaking on the performance of the Ekiti team at Singapore, Elder Oritu said “we as experienced organisers of debates, both nationally and internationally, we’re particularly impressed by the doggedness and confidence of this team which outclassed some of the best and well known debate teams from China and other parts of the world”.
Oritu said it was in view of this that the PSDN “decided to award its own trophy to Ekiti State debate team for being the best first timer team at the international championship since the advent of our participation in international debate competitions in the last seven years”.
Fayose, who received the team with his deputy, Dr Kolapo Olubunmi Olushola, and other top government officials, said for policies intended to improve education in Nigeria to succeed, teachers must be put on the driver’s seat in the implementation of such policies.
”My attitude is to put you on the job and monitor you till result is achieved. Government policies in education sector without teachers being on the driver’s seat will fail. Our children and wards spend more time with their teachers than with their parents and guardians. The antidote for the decay in education is love for teachers and I will support anything education,” he said.
Governor Fayose has given monetary rewards to some students and their teachers who did the state proud in various competitions.
Master Tosin Adedipe from Shepherd International School, Ado-Ekiti who emerged the nation’s best in the Young Scientist Competition held in Abuja, was given N2.5 million.
His school also got N1.5 million, while his teacher got N500,000.
The governor also said the state government would build a block of three-classroom in the school.
He promised that such rewards would henceforth be given to winners of academic laurels and their schools.
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