56,000 Students Write Cowbellpedia Maths First Stage Exam

About 56,000 students have demonstrated their desire to become the Cowbellpedia Maths champion, as they participate in the qualifying examination of the 2019 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz Show, sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited. The first stage exam held on February 9 in designated centres across the country.

This year’s figure represents a 27.2 per cent increase over the 44,000 participants recorded in 2018. Out of the number, the best 108 will proceed to the next stage of the competition, which is the TV quiz show.

Officials of each state ministry of education and the National Examinations Council (NECO) supervised the two-hour examination at various centres.

Some of the candidates expressed optimism about their ability to make it to the next stage of the competition. A senior secondary two (SS2) student of Iponri Grammar School, Lagos, Emmanuel Adeoti said he hopes to advance to the TV quiz show stage regardless of the hurdles ahead of him. “The road to the quiz show may be difficult, but I am sure I will be among the successful participants.”

“I prepared very well for this exam and I look forward to being at the TV quiz show,” said Musiliu Adio of Community Junior Grammar School, Lagos.

Assessing the conduct of the candidates at his centre, a NECO official, Charles Aneke said although it was an arduous task getting the candidates to follow instructions, the exercise was a success.

An official of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Benedict Adegoke also expressed satisfaction with the general conduct of the candidates. “They were all seated before exam began. It wasn’t a case of having to run after one student or the other.”

Some of the teachers also commended the organisers of the competition for sustaining it, saying that it has continued to spur the desire for excellence among students.

A teacher, Abimbola Afolarin said: “Looking at the performance of my students today since the commencement of Cowbellpedia, it has been a great leap from good to better. Each student wants to outperform the one before him or at the very least, maintain the same good record.

The Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria, Anders Einarson had explained during the commencement of the competition that the ultimate prize for this year’s edition is N2 million and an all-expense paid educational excursion abroad. The first and second runners-up will get N1.5 million and N1 million respectively.

While the teacher of the winner will be awarded N500,000, those of the first and second runners-up will get N400,000 and N300,000 respectively.