Promasidor Vows to Promote Girl-child, STEM Education as Cowbellpedia Maths Contest Begins

Uchechukwu Nnaike

As the 2019 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show formally begins with a call for entries, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the makers of Cowbell Milk, has reiterated its commitment to the improvement of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Nigeria.

Briefing journalists in Lagos recently, the Managing Director, Mr. Anders Einarsson, said in the last 21 years, Cowbell has been involved in improving the standard of Mathematics education in Nigeria, while the Cowbellpedia initiative has provided a platform to identify, showcase and reward excellence in the subject.

He explained that the initiative has ignited the interest of students in Mathematics at the secondary school level and reinforced its importance in the growth of modern economies.

Like in previous editions, Eirnarson announced that the competition is free and open to students in junior secondary three and senior secondary two from ages 10 to 18 attending full time secondary education in both public and private schools in the country.

The competition is divided into two phases: stage one is qualifying written examination, while stage two is TV quiz show.

As part of its efforts in encouraging girl-child interest in STEM courses, Einarsson reiterated the company’s appeal to mixed secondary schools to nominate a minimum of two female students for each category. “As research has shown that there is a positive relationship exists between girl child education and the GDP of a nation.”

He said the star prize for this year’s edition is N2 million and an all-expense paid educational excursion abroad. The first and second runners-up will receive N1.5 million and N1 million respectively. The teacher of the top prize winner will be awarded N500,000, while those of the first and second runners-up will get N400,000 and N300,000 respectively.

Einarsson also acknowledged the support of the project’s partners such as the National Examinations Council (NECO), state ministries of education, school principals and teachers, parents and the media for their invaluable contributions, which have culminated in the success of this initiative in over two decades.

“I am also assuring you that Promasidor Nigeria will continue to encourage young Nigerians to pursue their dreams. Besides Cowbellpedia, Harness Your Dream, a career awareness workshop for public secondary schools is another platform through which we shape the lives of our future leaders,” he said.

The Marketing Manager of Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji explained that registration for this year is strictly online and the registration portal, which opened on October 1, 2018, will close on February 3, 2019, while the qualifying examination would hold nationwide on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at designated centres.

“The guidelines require the candidates or schools to visit www.cowbellpedia.ng, click on link to register your school; fill all required fields in the form and submit. An email will be sent to the school and primary contact email addresses provided when filling the form. The link in the email received would be used to verify the email addresses

“On successful login, you click on the ‘add candidates’ under candidate management; fill in the candidates’ information on the form, upload the candidates’ picture and click the save draft button; save draft information for five candidates before you submit their registration.

“If your school is a mixed school, at least two of the candidates must be female. After creating the draft registration for five candidates in a category (junior/senior), a button will be shown on the page to ‘register junior/senior candidates’; click the button to complete the registration of the candidates for that category.

“A confirmation slip will be generated for download and will also be mailed to the school, candidate and parent/guardian email address. Print the confirmation slips and have them stamped and signed by the school principal as the confirmation slip will be required for admitting candidates at the examination venue.”

Ayodeji said each school is required to present its best 10 students in mathematics (five junior and five senior), irrespective of sex, religion, tribe or state of origin, to enhance its chance of qualifying for the next stage of the competition.

Also at the event, the 2018 senior category winner, Master Chinedu Mgbemena of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State commended the company for the educational excursion to Dubai, saying that the trip gave him a wider exposure to life.

His counterpart in the junior category, Master Akinfoluhan Akinleye of the Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State also described the trip as a wonderful experience.