By Charles Igwe
Miss Ifunanya Agbala of Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji, has emerged as the Best Student in the senior category of the 2025 Dr. Chinedu Umeadi Annual Science Quiz Competition, a prestigious contest that continues to drive excellence in science education across Anambra State. In the junior category, Master Chukwuemeka Eze-Obiorah of Marist Comprehensive College, Nteje, took the top honour.
Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji, also clinched the Best School Award in the senior division, reflecting its overall dominance in the competition. The school came first with a score of 71.2%, narrowly edging out St. Patrick’s College, Awka, which placed second with 71%. Other notable placements included Unizik Secondary School, Awka (65%), and DMGS Onitsha, which finished 9th with 56%.
This year’s edition of the competition saw over 200 schools—from government, mission, and private sectors—participate across the six educational zones of the state. The event, held last week at the ASUBEB Utility Hall in Awka, was organised by the Dr. Chinedu Umeadi Foundation in collaboration with the Anambra State Government, the Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC), and the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB).
The award ceremony for the winners has been scheduled for June 25, 2025, at the Ministry of Education, Awka.
In his remarks, President of the Foundation, Sir Ikem Onwuadi, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to encouraging academic excellence through science, noting that the competition remains a vehicle to inspire young minds and equip them with the confidence to innovate.
The Chairman of the occasion, Honourable Jude Akpua, lauded Dr. Umeadi’s consistent investment in education and urged students to maximize such rare opportunities. “To whom much is given, much is expected,” he said, urging participants to “soar like eagles” and make their families proud.
Representatives of state education bodies, including Dr. Uche Okeke (Member One, Awka Zone), Dr. Vera Nwadinobi (Executive Chairman, ASUBEB), and Mrs. Eucharia Ikegwuonwu (Director of Science and Technology, PPSSC), praised the initiative for igniting curiosity among students and preparing them for opportunities beyond the classroom.
The competition continues to grow as one of the most inclusive and competitive science contests in the state, open to students in government, mission and private schools.
