13-year-old student wins Mathematics competition in Kwali

A 13-year-old student, Tochukwu Ndukwe,  from Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Leeja, Nsukka, Enugu State, has emerged the overall winner of the Nigerian Mathematics Queen Competition for 2018. Saibu Medina from FESTAC College, Lagos, took second position while Olayiwola Adedagun, FGGC, Ketu, Osun came third at the competition. A total of 115 JSS female students […]

A 13-year-old student, Tochukwu Ndukwe,  from Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Leeja, Nsukka, Enugu State, has emerged the overall winner of the Nigerian Mathematics Queen Competition for 2018.

Saibu Medina from FESTAC College, Lagos, took second position while Olayiwola Adedagun, FGGC, Ketu, Osun came third at the competition.

A total of 115 JSS female students across the country participated in the Girls’ Mathematics Olympiad Competition organised by the National Mathematical Centre, Sheda, in Kwali Area Council.

At the ceremony, the director/chief executive of NMC, Prof. Stephen Onah, said the competition was aimed at encouraging and addressing the gap between males and females in the learning and teaching of mathematics in the country.

He said the maiden edition, with slogan ‘Leaving No One Behind’ of the SDGs Mathematics Competition and Award ceremony for the crowning of Nigeria Mathematics Queen was geared towards achieving the SDG 4.

He said the Nigerian girl student has been placed in a disadvantaged position especially in the area of education, which has relegated her in the general scheme of things.

According to him, being a victim of discrimination and male chauvinism, the girl-child hardly competes educationally with her male counterparts.

He noted that such attitude has badly affected the girl child’s education in the area of enrolment in school, performance in class and her quest to progress educationally.

‘‘The girl child’s low interest in mathematics is a serious concern to NMC and it is on this note that we encourage and boost the interest of the girl-student in the subject,’’ he said.

He added that one of the objectives of the competition was to stimulate enthusiasm in the learning of Mathematical Sciences among young Nigerian girls.

On her part, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, called on teachers and parents to work hard towards improving the learning of mathematics.

Orelope-Adefulire, who was represented by Dr Ify Nnamchi, called on relevant organisations to adequately fund girl-child education to reduce street hawking among young girls in the country.