The Bayelsa State Government has pledged to continue investing in education because of its significance in human capital development.
Commissioner for Education, Elder Markson Fefegha, stated this while featuring as a Special Guest of Honour in the first Bayelsa Essay Writing competition for secondary schools.
The programme was organized by the Robert Sunday Iworiso Foundation.
According to him, the government was excited that so far, the state has benefitted from the strategic and timely investment it has made in education which available records have shown.
Fefegha outlined some of the key interventions the Governor Henry Seriake Dickson’s administration has made.
He thanked the organizers of the Essay Competition for keying into the vision of the government in promoting academic excellence.
Earlier the Director of the Robert Sunday Iworiso Foundation, Chief John Alphonsus Iworiso, in his welcome address had expressed the hope that the winner of the first prize will seize the unique opportunity to not only enjoy the limelight but also make his family and Bayelsa State proud.
He reiterated the commitment of the foundation in ensuring that it lives up to its motto of fulfilling dream as well as turning smiles into laughter especially among the less privileged.
Iworiso said: “The Essay competition is one of several ways through which we hope to discover the untapped potentials and to truly engage students and inspire them to become change agents and make them the true leaders of tomorrow that they are born to be.
“That is why I must once again use this opportunity to thank His Excellency, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for investing so much in education. This auditorium we are in now is one of the testimony to that fact. We will also like to advice parents of the winner to encourage their child to see writing as a noble career rather than force them to areas they do not have interest.”
Iworiso thanked the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education and the Association of Nigeria Authors in the state for accepting to organize the competition in conjunction with the foundation.
On his part chairman of the organizing committee, Mike Afenfia, said the annual competition will enable some brilliant children from less privileged background have access to funds to further their education up to tertiary level.
The Essay Writing competition which started on Tuesday with a Writer’s Workshop came to a climax with Master Martin Franklin (Jnr) of the Ijaw National Academy running home with the star prize of N1 million while Sweet-Owei Blessed Tari of Tare pet Montessori School came second with N250,000 and Ayamieye Tamara-Ifie of Biedomo Premiere School went home with N150,000.
Ten finalists had earlier emerged before the emergence of the three winners who were presented with cheques by officials of the foundation’s official bankers, Sterling Bank.
