By Emeka Amaefula
ANAMBRA STATE: A PERMANENT QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE- WON DEMOCRACY DAY PRESIDENT’S INTER-SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The superlative stellar performance in academic excellence in Nigeria by secondary school students of Anambra state origin has attracted much national attention as the outcome of most external examination performances of such students has elucidated much confidence in the foundation former Governor Peter Obi laid and how his predecessors maintained such standard many years after he left office. In Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME organized by Joint Admission matriculation Board-JAMB has shown that Candidates who attended secondary schools in Anambra state usually came top of highest score line each year. This has been followed with top performance of Anambra state Secondary School teams that participated in the Democracy Day President’s Inter-Senior Secondary School Students Schools Debate Championship National final award ceremonies held in commemoration of the Nigeria democracy day celebration each year. And here Anambra state team usually had maintained top position at such loft competition among other participants from across the 36 states of the federation including Federal Capital territory and other institutions
On July 15th, 2023 former Minister of Aviation and Anambra state born politician Chief Osita Chidioka who observed in the 2023 edition of the competition wrote “On Thursday 13 July, I attended the 2023 Democracy Day President’s Inter-Senior Secondary Schools Debate Championship National Finals and Award Ceremony at the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja. I went to support Team Anambra who made it to the finals they came second and were downcast as Team Nigeria Army came first in a very fierce competition. I had to speak to them to cheer them up. I understood their feeling. I am Igbo and our parents always wondered who came first if you were second. We are competitive. We are hardworking and willing to take up challenges. The Team Anambra was a quintessential Igbo team.
“Team Anambra, has an intimidating record. In 2014 – they won National 1st Place and represented Nigeria at World School’s Debating Championship, Singapore in 2015. In 2016 – Anambra won National 1st Place and represented Nigeria at Singapore again in 2016 and won 1st Place. In 2016 Anambra State attended a Bilateral Debate Tournament in Accra, Ghana, and won. In 2018 and 2022- Anambra won the National 1st place and for the 2022 win, they would be travelling to Malaysia this July to represent Nigeria. And in the current 2023 edition, Anambra won National 2nd Place and is set to represent Nigeria in Dubai, in 2024.
“During the event, the Anambra Commissioner of Education Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh was presented with the award of Best Performing Commissioner for Education in the South East. Also, the Best Performing Student Debate Desk Officer for the Promotion and Growth of Schools Debate in Nigeria went to Anambra State Principal Mrs. Amaka Anekwe popularly known as Diamond Principal.
This is the real story of Anambra state that does not make the news. We would not be defined by sit-at-home, violence by deviants, and the small minority of criminals. We are a state of excellence, a home for all, and a state of people driven by competition and hunger for success. We are Anambra. Congratulations to Team Nigerian Army and Team Anambra and Team Nigeria Police. They were a delight to watch.”
This is the story of how Anambra state has dominated academic record performance at this level national education no wonder the Chukwuma Soludo led Government in recognition of awarding Scholarship to the highest score in 2023 UTME gave out cash awards ti Teachers of the highest UTME candidate as announced by JAMB who g=had 360 scores. This is in appreciation of the dedication of Teachers in Anambra state in making sure that they do their best in inculcating sound academic exercises among the pupils of the state at a time quality of education nationwide has come under scrutiny due to malaise in the output year in year out but Anambra state has different positive attributes in this regards.
—————-Emeka Amaefula————–+234(0)8111813069
