The National Mathematical Centre (NMC) has organized its first round mathematics competition for girls students in public Junior Secondary School across the country to encourage learning of the subject.
Speaking at the program on Friday in Abuja, the Director/Chief Executive of the Centre, Prof. Promise Mebine, said the program was in pursuit of the Sustainable development Goals – 4 (SDGs4) agenda.
Mebine further said that the program aimed at promoting healthy academic competitiveness among the Nigerian girls in the study of mathematics.
“One of the Sustainable Development Goals number four is quality education, number five is gender quality.
“We all know in Nigeria that the girls are relegated to the background in terms of education. The males are dominating in every area.
“So the quest of NMC is to see that we encourage, motivate and push the girls’ interest in mathematics and equally select the best girls out of the Nigerian girls in mathematics,” he said.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Education for the initiative, the director encouraged the state governments to queue into the program so as to carry all the girls along.
He said that at this first stage the center will select the best 120 students from each senatorial district across the federation.
“After which we have to select the best 20 from each of the states who will go for the second round from there we go for the third round before we pick the best three out of each states, bring them together to select the best of the best”.
He, therefore, called for spirited Nigerians as well as organizations to partner with the center to train further internationally the girls who would emerge the overall best in the competition.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo, said the Federal Government through the Ministry had shown commitment in addressing the Out-of-School menace at the Basic Education level.
According to him, a large chunk of out-of-school children constitutes girls who are facing barriers such as child marriage, poverty and discriminatory social norms.
Represented by Mr Jude Anyilamuba, Director, Language Project/Special Education, Adejo noted that education of the girl-child becomes imperative.
“Education makes mothers to be more aware of their responsibilities to the children who will thrive and learn quickly when their mothers are educated.
“What we are witnessing today is one of the ways of promoting girl-child education at the Basic Education level and it needs to be applauded,” he said.
Also speaking, the Desk Officer, SDGs, NMC, Dr Sylvester Okwuoza, said the competition was taking place in all the states including the Federal Capital Territory.
