Lafarge Africa kicks off National Literacy Competition

To help improve competence and knowledge among Nigerian students, Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading cement and building solutions provider, has announced the commencement of its fourth yearly National Literacy Competition with regional run-offs in October and the grand finale in November 2017.

The competition is in line with the company’s sustainability strategy, “The 2030 Plan,” which stipulates its ambition for the construction with a vision of enhancing the quality of life for all.

The competition is being organised with support from the respective State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Lafarge Africa’s implementation partner, the Ovie Brume Foundation.

State run-offs were held in the month of September and regional finals are taking place across the country this October. The grand finale for this year will hold in November in Lagos where six winners (three boys and three girls) will be awarded national prizes. Public school students from the 109 senatorial districts in the country are taking part in the competition. To evaluate the reading and writing abilities of the pupils, tests would be conducted on essay/summary writing and spelling bees.

Commenting on the vision of the initiative, Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, said, “We want to help create more literacy enhancement opportunities for several indigent students across Nigeria. We have been doing this successfully for the past four years and we are quite pleased with the positive impact we have made so far. It’s all about touching the lives of all our diverse people in a sustainable way.”

She further stated that Lafarge Africa Plc, understands the key role education plays in the development of any society hence the need to engage the leaders of tomorrow on critical literacy skills at an early stage.