The Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) has disclosed that it has donated laboratory equipment, books, and other learning materials to schools as part of its efforts to improve educational standards and reduce poverty in the country.

While emphasising that poverty cannot be meaningfully addressed without quality education, the organisation stated that over 4,000 students in secondary, tertiary and vocational institutions across Nigeria have been awarded scholarships since 2008.

LAPO President, Faith Osazuwa-Ojo, stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, during the grand finale of the 2025 LAPO Annual Secondary School Quiz Competition, which saw the Seat of Wisdom Catholic College, Alagbaka, Akure, emerge as the overall winner, followed by Model Secondary School, Alagbaka, Akure, and Greater Tomorrow International College, Ikare-Akoko, which came third.

Osazuwa-Ojo, represented by Obadiora Honestus, said the quiz, instituted in 2006 in Edo State and expanded to Delta in 2015 and Ondo in 2023, was conceived to promote academic excellence, particularly in science subjects.

“For nearly two decades, this quiz has been more than a competition; it is a deliberate intervention to reward diligence and stimulate intellectual growth,” she stated.

Osazuwa-Ojo noted that over 100 secondary schools participated in the preliminary rounds, adding that the finalists represented “the intellectual elite who have overcome demanding academic challenges.”

While lamenting the current challenges in the education sector, she expressed concern over infrastructural deficits, lack of access to modern learning tools and low STEM engagement in rural communities.

“There is a critical need to inspire commitment to science disciplines and provide resources that will prepare learners for the 21st-century economy,” she stressed.

Prof. Folashade Olajuyigbe, National Chairperson of the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Nigeria Chapter, who was the chairperson of the event, commended LAPO for its sustained investment in educational development.

“Beyond microfinance, LAPO has consistently nurtured young talent. This initiative proves that education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty.”

She equally encouraged participants to embrace problem-solving and innovation in a rapidly evolving world, emphasising that “our children must move beyond memorisation. They should ask thoughtful questions, seek creative solutions and work collaboratively.”

Also speaking, the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, represented by Mr Adekunle Henry, lauded LAPO for supporting educational advancement and urged other organisations to emulate the initiative.

Meanwhile, the top three winning schools received science and laboratory equipment, among other educational support items.