Teachers and students in public schools performed better than their counterparts in private schools in a science competition conducted in Abia State.
The competition, organized to reward the best science teachers and students, climaxed at the Abia State Secretariat in Umuahia during the weekend, with public schools winning key subjects including Biology and Chemistry.
Afugiri Girls Secondary School, Umuahia, a public school, produced two overall best science teachers and also produced the overall best science student in Abia State – Miss Ebenezer Favour Damilola – who won more than 12 awards in different science subjects.
Another teacher from a public school – Mbala Secondary School Isuochi, Umunneochi LGA – won an award in another category.
For Private schools, a teacher from Wilcox School Aba, Daniel Eguzoro, won the overall best physics teacher, with one of the school’s students emerging one of the best science students .
Speaking after receiving the recognition as overall best science student in Abia State, Favour Damilola noted that public schools in the country can always do better if the teachers are well encouraged.
Damilola added that the conducive learning environment and modern science equipment are important in every secondary school.
She challenged students in public schools in the state and across the country to work harder and jettison inferiority complex.
Speaking during the event, Abia State Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, David Kalu, said the science teachers’ end-of-the-academic-session awards was organized by the state government in collaboration with ASSPPA-ISBORS platform to fish out and reward best teachers and students in the science field.
Mr. Patrick Ejike Ochuba, who spoke on behalf of ASSPPA-ISBORS platform, said teachers in public and private schools could produce future science experts if the right science equipment and welfare are guaranteed.
He said the competition was conducted in a transparent manner for all participating schools and students.
Public schools outperform private schools in Abia science competition