By Nna Anulumadu
It was yet another remarkable feat by the Students of Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji as they put up an outstanding performance at the just concluded state level of the National Math Contest, clinching the 2nd position at the Junior Category, as well as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions at the Senior Category. The MathContest Nigeria is a curriculum-based mathematics challenge specifically designed to encourage and reward excellence among secondary school students. It is organised annually by the Crux Learning Platform in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education. It’s objective is to deepen the knowledge of Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Nigeria while also promoting healthy academic competition among them. The first and second stages (state level) of the competition normally take place as an online Computer Based Test (CBT Exam) while the Final Stage (National Stage) is organised as a physical exam at a chosen venue in Lagos State. This final stage is also usually televised by the DSTV (African Magic Family).
This year’s edition of the state level of the challenge featured 4,744 Junior secondary students and 4,733 senior Secondary students drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. The first elimination stage took place from 6th to 10th February via a CBT. Afterwards, 500 best mathematics students, shortlisted for both Junior and Senior secondary, advanced to the second preliminary stage which was held on 21st February and 16th March. The result for this stage was later published on 4th April and it reduced the long list of contestants further to the three best students for each of the 36 states and the FCT. For Anambra State, Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji took the 2nd Position for the Junior Category while sweeping the 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions at the senior category. Other schools in Anambra State that performed well at the competition include the following: Mater Christi Award (1st Position, Junior Category), British Spring College, Awka (tied at 2nd Position, Junior Category with Mater Amabilis).
Based on the result of the state level of the competition, Anambra State will be represented at the national stage of the tournament by Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji, Mater Christi Secondary School Awada, and British Spring College Awka. This stage of the competition is slated to take place in Lagos from 4th to 8th June, 2023.
Reacting to the outcome of the competition, Rev. Fr. Francis Onwuchulum, the Manager of Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji commended his students for their efforts and spirit of determination which enabled them to emerge victorious in such a competition keenly contested by the top schools in the state. He remarked that this recent success is just the latest chapter of the culture of excellence that has become synonymous with the school in recent times. He equally expressed his gratitude to the Proprietor of the School, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke, whom he described as the brain behind the recent achievements of the school and other Catholic Mission Schools owned by the Archdiocese of Onitsha. He equally charged the students to go all the way and prove that Anambra State is the light of the nation by winning the top prizes at the national stage of the tournament coming soon.
Meanwhile, the full details of the results for the best students across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT could be viewed online at:
https://mathcontestnigeria.com/result/top3
