A teenager, Tochukwu Ndukwe, 13, from Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Leeja, Nsukka, Enugu State on Wednesday 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.

115 female students of Junior Secondary School across the country participated in the Girls’ Mathematics Olympiad Competition, organised by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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

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

“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.

“Being a victim of discrimination and male chauvinism, the girl-child hardly could compete educationally with her male counterpart.

“This 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 Mathematics,” 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 harder towards improving the learning of Mathematics sciences.

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

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