Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Delta State representative in the just-concluded National ICT Olympiad 2018 Finals, Master Richard Nwokolo, for emerging second runner-up in the competition.

Nwokolo, a Deltan and student of Royal Mira All Saints College, Asaba, finished third in the competition behind Lagos and Abuja who came first and second respectively.

The governor, in a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, said that the impressive performance by Nwokolo, is a call on other Delta students to pursue their academics with much vigour in order to bring honour and goodwill to their parents, school and the state.

He reiterated his administration’s relentless effort at rejuvenating the education sector in the state through massive infrastructural upgrades, improvement in teacher’s welfare and the construction of a Teachers’ Development Centre at Owa-Oyibu in Ika North East Local Government Area for the training and retraining of teachers to ensure quality teachers in the school system.

The Governor further assured, “We will continue to provide the needed support for Delta children such as Nwokolo to excel academically. “We are very proud of his performance in the competition which is an indication that Delta students, when given the opportunity, can compete favourably with their peers anywhere in the world.

“His exploit also shows that much could be achieved through sustained collaboration with all stakeholders in the education sector and government’s insistence on standards.” He urged the student to make the best of the opportunity offered by the National ICT Olympiad Competition to contribute to the development of Nigeria.

The Governor commended the National ICT Olympiad for the sponsorship of the competition which entails the designing and presentation of a website with HTLM. The Governor was particularly happy that the competition is an annual event for junior and secondary students which has been included in the education calendar.

Governor Okowa noted that the role of Science and Technology education in the quest for nation building cannot be over emphasised, adding that it is a top priority in Delta to ensure that all public and private secondary schools in the State have qualified teachers in requisite subjects.

“Our investments in revamping existing Technical Colleges in the State with cutting edge science and technology equipment and functional laboratories have started yielding results and as a way of encouraging teachers for optimum performance, the welfare of teachers, including payment of salaries, promotions, training and sundry obligations, have continued to occupy centre stage in this administration, in spite of very limited resources coupled with the huge workforce in the state.”

Governor Okowa commended the management and staff of Royal Mira All Saints College, Asaba, for the successes recorded in such a short time of commencement of academic activities.

The Governor said he is very pleased with the Proprietor, management and Staff of Royal Mira for investing heavily in ICT, Sciences and other Technical aspects of education.

He urged students to eschew cultism and drug abuse which he identified as factors that could truncate their academic pursuit and attainment of their glorious destinies.

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