Nigerian Navy @68: Naval Education Directorate Holds CNS Debate, Quiz And STEM Competition 

Victoria Ojiako

As part of the Directorate of Naval Education’s contribution to mark the recently commemorated 68th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy (NN), the 2024 Chief of Naval Staff(CNS), Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla annual Inter-School Debate, Quiz, and STEM competition for the Nigerian Navy Military and Secondary Schools, was held at the Nigerian Navy Secondary School (NNSS) Ojo, Lagos.

The competition was themed: ‘Information and Communication Technology: A Panacea for Improved Educational Service and National Development’ and in the two days event, 36 participants were drawn from the Nigerian Navy Military and Welfare Secondary Schools.

Among the schools present were Nigerian Navy Military School (NNMS) Ikot Ntuen in Akwa Ibom; NNSS Port Harcourt in Rivers State; NNSS Ogbomosho in Oyo State; NNSS Okura in Kogi State; NNSS Calabar in Cross River; NNSS Ojo in Lagos State;  Command Day Secondary School, Ojo and the Naval Officers Wives Association Secondary School.

According to the Director of Naval Education, Commodore SA Ogwu, the competition was targeted at enabling the students display their mastery of their day-day classwork, which often serves as a measure for peer review.

At the event, a documentary on the exhibition of STEM competition among NN schools was watched and a debate on “The moral decadence of this generation is the result of wrong social values” was held.During the STEM competition, the NNMS

 presented a security system and a web app site; the NNSS, Okura presented a liquefied petroleum gas, an agricultural multipurpose machine and a simple camp gas stove; NNSS Port Harcourt presented a new voting system and an electromagnetic steamer, one channel remote control switch and a dry and wet crop segregation strong box processor; and NNSS Ogbomosho presented flat hole unifier elastic STEM and a security entrance STEM system. 

The projects were judged by uniqueness, workability, safety, creativity, originality, durability, relevance to the society, materials used and cost implications by the judges sourced from the Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos Science Teachers Association of Nigeria    (STAN), Directorate of Naval Education( DNED), Naval Air Base (NAB) Ojo, and staff from the invited schools.

Commander S O Adéyemí announced the results and it was presented by the Special Guest of Honour, the Flag Officer Commanding West, represented by the Commander NNS WEY, Cdre MM Braimah in the presence of  Rear Admiral B. Iyalla.

At the end of the competition, Nigerian Navy Secondary School(NNSS), Okura, Kogi State, emerged as winner of the STEM competition, while NNSS Ojo won both the quiz and debate categories. 

A further breakdown of the winners in the various categories saw NNSS Okura, Kogi state win the STEM while NNSS Ogbomosho was second, NNSS Port Harcourt was third , while NNMS Ikot Ntuen, Akwa Ibom, was fourth.

For the Debate, NNSS Ojo was first, NNSS Calabar came second, NNMS Ikot Ntuen was third, and NNSS Okura was fourth position.

In the Quiz competition, NNSS Ojo came tops, second position was by NNMS Ikot Ntuen, third position was NNSS Okura, and NNSS Port Harcourt was fourth.