From Auwal Salim, Damaturu
The North East Arid Zone Development Programme (NEAZDP) says its Quiz and Spelling Bee Competition for Government Day Junior Secondary Schools (GDJSS) across nine local government areas of Yobe State is designed to promote academic excellence, motivate students and encourage environmental sustainability.
The Programme Manager of NEAZDP, Dr. Mulima Idi Mato, stated this while commending participants for their outstanding performances and urging them to sustain the spirit of academic excellence throughout their academic pursuits.
According to him, the competition, conducted across the Bade, Nguru and Geidam zones, was organised to improve students’ reading culture, enhance healthy academic competition and promote inclusiveness among learners.
Dr. Mato explained that the second round of the competition was held in the Nguru Zone, featuring schools from Nguru, Karasuwa and Machina Local Government Areas.
He added that, as part of NEAZDP’s environmental sustainability initiative, mango and neem tree seedlings were distributed to participating students and schools to encourage tree planting and environmental conservation.
The Programme Manager disclosed that the organisation would revisit the participating schools in December to assess the growth and maintenance of the seedlings.
He noted that special awards would be presented to the student and school that demonstrate the highest level of commitment to nurturing the trees.
At the end of the competition in the Nguru Zone, GDJSS Girgiri emerged overall winner, while GDJSS Central and GDJSS Maidunoma finished second and third, respectively.