By Edith Nwapi
Abuja – Junior Secondary School (JSS), Karu, Abuja, on Thursday emerged the winner of the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) 2019 secondary schools quiz competition in FCT.
JSS Karu came first among four other schools, including JSS Kubwa, which came second, Fariah Academy, which placed third, as well as JSS, Jabi and JSS Mpape.
The first three schools received trophies for their efforts.
Questions asked bordered on issues relating to human rights and answers were within a time frame.
Expressing her joy on their victory, Miss Favour Uzoma, 14, who led JSS Karu, thanked the Commission for organising the competition.
According to her, the competition exposes children to knowledge of what human rights are and what to do when ones rights are violated.
Miss Goodness Ifeanyi, 12, of JSS Kubwa said the competition helped the children to develop confidence.
She added that other organisations should also follow what NHRC did in order to help develop the educational needs of the children.
Ifeanyi further encouraged other children to have confidence in themselves and come out for such competitions adding that parents should also encourage their children to come out.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Mr Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary, NHRC, stated that the competition was to inculcate human rights norms and values in children from their early stages of development.
According to him, the 2019 edition of the Human Rights Quiz competition for secondary schools in the FCT was with the theme ‘Youths Stand Up for Human Rights’.
Ojukwu added that the theme was apt considering the pivotal role the youth played in nation building.
“We, therefore, urge all stakeholders to support the cause of children and the youth to enable them to realise their potential in life.
“Considering the achievements recorded from previous competitions in the FCT, we are planning to reach out to more schools outside Abuja to encourage more schools to participate.
“We believe the idea of organising this quiz competition each year will improve the knowledge and understanding of human rights principles among the young population,” he said.
Ojukwu stated that the reason the event was important was that human rights education was crucial to the work of the commission.
He added that apart from quiz competitions the commission had established human rights clubs in schools across the country.
“Apart from encouraging the establishment of Human Rights Club in secondary and primary schools, the commission will establish same in tertiary institutions,” he said.(NAN)
