Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Edo State government, has launched Monday Okpebholo Education Talent Hunt to promote educational educational excellence across public schools in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
Addressing Journalists during the flag-off ceremony at the Senior Secondary Education Board (SSEB) premises at Iyaro, Benin, the Executive Chairman, Edo State SSEB, Rita Otibho Erewele, PhD, said the initiative is to ensure that the best talents in science, social science, and arts in every local government area are picked for the exercise.
She said that research has proven beyond reasonable doubt that there is correlation between motivation and excellence thus, the governor wants to bring out the best in the public school students.
According to her, “This is the first ever education talent hunt in Edo State. Because of the interest of our able Governor, Monday Okpebholo in education sector, he has supported and sponsored this beautiful initiative to ensure that we pick the best talents in science, social science, and arts in every local government.
“After they start with this scholarship exam, these qualified and most intelligent students across the 18 local government areas of the state will be given a fully funded scholarship to all tertiary institutions in Edo State.
“These institutions include Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State University in Yamho, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen and College of Education, Igueben, Afuze and Abudu.
“This tertiary institutions have actually covered the three senatorial districts and every student that is selected that is qualified to go to any of these schools mentioned, will be sponsored by the Edo state government after emerging victorious at the Senator Monday Education Talent Hunt. This is the season one of this noble initiative.
“We are looking forward to continuity to season two season three. We are going to continue this initiative to ensure that we motivate the children to study by enhancing the study habit of children because from academic research, it has been investigated that there is a high correlation between motivation and academic performance of students.
“Based on this, we have come up with a motivating factor which is the award of this scholarship to enable them study hard and ensure that Edo State comes first in academic performance across the country.
“The selection process involves selecting the best in science, social science and and arts in all public senior secondary schools in Edo State, specifically SS3 students.
“After the selection of the best in science, social science, and arts in SS3 across all public secondary schools in Edo State, they will sit for a scholarship exam.
“After the first stage of the scholarship exam, we select the best three in science, social science, and arts from the 18 local governments, which will give us 162.
“This number will come for the second stage, which is the qualifying stage. At the second stage, the the best in science, social science, and arts will be selected from the 18 local governments, which will give us a total of 54, and these 54 students will emerge the winner of Senator Monday Okpebholo Education Talent Hunt and will be awarded fully funded scholarship to tertiary institutions”.
