“InterswitchSPAK is a TrailBlazer” – Prof. Charles Uwakwe (Registrar, NECO)
Nigeria’s newest national competition for students interested in STEM education has received accolades from the National Examinations Council (NECO) at the launch event which held recently in Lagos.
Present at the event were students, teachers, parents, media, executives and partners of the pioneering organizations and the registrar of NECO, Professor Charles Uwakwe. Prof. Uwakwe was filled with high praise for the initiative, in his words;
“Indeed, I am elated by the national technological revitalization project championed by Interswitch through the Interswitch SPAK National Science Competition for secondary schools to which NECO is graciously lending its technical expertise. On the strength of our positive collaboration, I can say, without equivocation, that InterswitchSPAK is a trailblazer in the indirect but patriotic project of Public-Private-Partnership towards ensuring that we catch them young in the all-important bid to move Nigeria to a higher pedestal in Science and Technology.”
Interswitch SPAK is a national science competition launched by digital payments and commerce company, Interswitch, and was designed with the goal of encouraging theoretical learning of STEM subjects, rewarding excellence and providing opportunities for developing innovative solutions for societal problems. The competition is open to students in year 11 and all schools nationwide are encouraged to register their best students in STEM subjects.
Professor Uwakwe, went further to state that the initiative aligned with NECO’s core objectives and assured the public of the council’s commitment towards the project. “As project technical partner, let me assure you that NECO shall continue to diligently prosecute our own part of the Interswitch SPAK National Science competition for secondary schools including regular, prompt and decent interface with relevant government ministries. In specific terms and in tandem with our mission statement of “redefining the future of the Nigerian child through quality assessment”, is once again assured of an on-schedule and quality delivery on our “Deliverables” on the Interswitch SPAK project.”
It was revealed at the launch event by the Chief Marketing Officer, Interswitch Group, Cherry Eromosele, that the top 2 students will be awarded a 5-year scholarship, a mac laptop and gold trophy; and a 3-year scholarship, a laptop and a silver trophy accordingly while the third will receive a 2 year scholarship, a laptop, and a bronze trophy. In addition to these, all 3 winners are guaranteed immediate employment at Interswitch upon graduation.
The national science competition is set to begin in April 2018 and will feature students from all states of the federation competing in core STEM subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. It is open to students in year 11 and all schools nationwide are encouraged to register their best students in these subjects.
