56,000 candidates write Cowbellpedia Maths Competition examination

With the ultimate cash prize of N2m and other exciting opportunities up for grab, about 56,000 students across the country participated in the qualifying examination of the 2019 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz Show.

The examination, sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, held across designated centres nationwide, with the candidates keenly jostling to cross the stage one hurdle of the contest. Of the 56,000 candidates, only the best 108 will proceed to the next stage of the competition, which is the TV Quiz Show proper. This year’s figure represents a 27.2 per cent increase over the 44,000 participants recorded last year.

Officials of the respective state’s Ministry of Education and the National Examination Council (NECO) supervised the examination at various centres in the country. According to the organisers, the two-hour long examination was hitch-free in all the centres nationwide, as candidates with confirmation slips were tested in the written examination.

A NECO official, Charles Aneke, said although it was quite an arduous task getting the candidates to follow instructions, the exercise was a success.An official of 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.”

The teachers commended organisers of the Cowbellpedia TV Quiz, for sustaining the yearly Mathematics competition, which, they said, has continued to spur the desire for excellence in their students.Some candidates at some of the centres expressed hope of qualifying to the next stage of the competition. ‘’I prepared very well for this exam and I look forward to being at the TV Quiz Show,” says Musiliu Adio of Community Junior Grammar School also in Lagos.

An SS2 student of Iponri Grammar School, Lagos, Emmanuel Adeoti, said he hoped to advance to the TV Quiz Show regardless of the hurdles ahead of him.

Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria, Anders Einarson had earlier explained during the flag-off of the competition that the ultimate prize for this year’s edition is N2m and an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country. The first and second runners-up will go home with N1.5m and N1m respectively.While the teacher of the top prize winner will be awarded N500, 000, those of the first and second runners-up will get N400, 000 and N300, 000 respectively.