SEPLAT Pearls Quiz winning school gets N7m prize money at 5th anniversary

Lagos – The 2016 SEPLAT PEARLs Quiz ended on November 17 at a grand finale held at Imaguero College, Benin City, Edo State.
The SEPLAT PEARLs Quiz programme was introduced by SEPLAT in 2012 to stimulate healthy competition among Schools in Delta and Edo, host states to SEPLAT’s operations, to encourage learning as well as reward outstanding academic performance. This is the fifth edition of this stimulating educational programme which holds annually.
At the end of the competition, University Preparatory Secondary School (UPSS), Benin City, Edo State, emerged winners. Representatives of the School beat students of Lords and Kings Academy, Warri, Delta State.
Earlier that morning, students of the Word of Faith Schools, Benin City, Edo State, had outscored their peers from NEPA (PHCN) Staff School, Sapele, Delta State, to clinch the third place prize at the event put together by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc.
The winning School got N7million cash prize while each of the three student representatives went home with the sum of N100,000. Lords and Kings Academy got N2million prize money while the three student representatives got the sum of N75,000 each. Winners of the third place prize, Word of Faith Schools got N1million  cash prize for their performance while each student representative was rewarded with the sum of N50,000. The schools are to use the cash prizes for projects at their respective schools.
Welcoming students and guests to the event, general manager, external affairs and communications for SEPLAT, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, noted that the programme has had tremendous impact on the educational careers of students in Delta and Edo States. Noting that SEPLAT is happy and remain committed to contributing to the educational enhancement of students in Edo and Delta States by rewarding academic excellence through the PEARLs Quiz initiative. Dr. Nwachuku added that “the programme directly impacts academic performance of the students as it has been shown that in preparing for this competition, students are encouraged to study their syllabus extensively. It also provides a platform for public and private Secondary Schools to interact, share ideas and experiences.”
Speaking further she said SEPLAT was delighted with the benefits of this programme which included “provision of scholarships to 36 students, implementation of valuable infrastructural projects in eight schools, four brand new 16-seater buses given to four schools, as well as numerous consolation prizes doled out over the years. These figures will increase at the end of this fifth edition of the competition.”
Dr. Nwachuku reiterated the benefits of SEPLAT PEARLs Quiz which, she said, helps in building the confidence and capacities of students to excel in their examinations; and address the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which stresses quality education as the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development.
Mrs. Susan Egharevba of the NPDC, the joint venture partner of SEPLAT, was effusive in her praise for SEPLAT and the success of the initiative saying that “the competence and confidence that the children showed is an indication that the future is bright for Nigeria.”