Nigeria

Team members:

• Dr. Ani Tessy Amaka
• Mrs Chizoba Nwodo
• Andrew Peter
• Rev Fr. Christ Onochie
• Chukwudi Uzu
• Dr. Emeka Ani

Region: South East Nigeria.

10 participating schools:

Community Primary School Okpudo, Community Primary school Ogwuofia Owa, Central School Obeleagu, Central School Imezi Owa, Community Primary School  Umaji Owa, Community Primary School Umudioha, Community Primary School Ibuzor Amokwe, Community Primary School Umudium Owa, Communiy Primary School Obeleagu Umama.

Pupils were tested in Spelling Bee, reading lgbo passage, and dancing.

Winner of the Competition Prize (1.500 Euros):

Community Primary School Umaji, Imezi owa, a public school of Enugu State, situated in the hinterland.

Prize Awarding Ceremony on 19th March 2020 at Obeleagu Primary School, about 20 km from Enugu

Among the participants:

Some parents, members of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson in charge of Primary schools in the zone, chairperson in charge of Primary schools in Ezeagu Local Government Area. In addition to the members of the house of Assembly, a representative of the traditional ruler, Director of Finance, Enugu North Education authority;  former head of administration. Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board Enugu. Rev Fathers and members of Mmutaka & friends and well-wishers.

Expenses

Food, drinks, snacks for about 250 persons... 145500 Naira (322 €)

Gifts (writing books) 40500 Naira (90 €)

Cooking and Transporting Foods and Drinks .. 30000 Naira (66 €)

Hiring chairs:     5000 Naira (11 €)

Hiring canopy  4000 Naira (9 €)

Transporting Chairs and canopy: 6000 Naira (13 €)

Transporting Children To and from Event: 30000 Naira (66 €)

Moderation: 10000 Naira (22 €)

Video coverage:  25000 Naira (55 €)

Publication: 30000 Naira (66 €)

Consolation Gifts for schools that did not win: 90000 Naira (55 €)

(10000 per school)

Judges: 9000 Naira (20 €)

Miscellaneous:  20000 Naira (44 €)
 

Helpers (6): 40000 Naira (88 €)

Total 485000 Naira (1074 €)
 

Budget 1000 euros
Exchange Rate in February 2020`= 482 Naira/ Euro

Prize (1.500 Euros)

The winning school could not yet decide on a project before covid-19 lockdown, which was pronounced only 3 days after Mmuta ka Event.

State of projects carried out by last year’s winning school/s.

• Renovation of the roof of the classroom.
• Fixing of new iron doors and locks.
• Repairing of windows

INTRODUCTION

The first edition of the Mmuta Ka Educational Enhancement Organisation School Competition Programme was held on January 24th, 2019 at Primary School, Obeleagu Umana, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Ten (10) public primary schools in the LGA participated in the competition.

PREPARATIONS

Planning Meeting

Effective preparation for the competition started physical visitation of the selected schools from September 2018. That was preceeded by a Meeting of the Board of Management on 24^th April 2018. During the Visitations, the objectives and modalities of the Programme were explained to the schools.

On 9^th January 2019 the Facilitators held a Meeting. During the meeting, the facilitators identified the competition activities, assigned duties to every facilitator and also made expenditures/costs estimates for the materials, entertainments, prizes, transportation, etc needed for the programme.

The members of the Board are:

1. Ani Tessy Amaka
2. Nwodo, Chizoba
3. Uzu, Chukwudi
4. Andrew,Peter
5. Fr.Onochie
6. Emeka Ani

Approval from the Education Board

As part of the preparation, an approval to conduct the competition among the public primary schools in the state was sought for and obtained from Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) through a letter.

Visit to the Participating Schools

The facilitators visited all the participating primary schools to ascertain their level of preparation and also to intimate them once again with the modalities of the competition.

Visit to other Dignitaries in the Host Community

The facilitators also visited some dignitaries in order to inform and invite them to the occasion. This included the traditional ruler (Igwe) of Obealagu Umana, Igwe Dr. Patrick Ifo, Hon. Paul Anikwe (Tico), Hon. Chibuzor Anikwe, Hon. Amaka Ekwo, etc

Preparation of the Venue and Equipment

Some labourers were contracted from the host community to assist in procurement of electrical equipment, canopies for shade, arrangement of seats and decoration of the venue, transportation, etc.

Details of Financial Expenses

1. Entertainments - ₦ 93.900,00
2. Gift Items - ₦120.000,00
3. Public address system/electrical equipment - ₦ 10.000,00
4. Printing of Banner - ₦ 5.000,00
5. Banner stand - ₦ 20.000,00
6. Video coverage - ₦ 30.000,00
7. Hiring of fifty (50) plastic chairs - ₦ 5.000,00
8. Transportation of pupils - ₦ 60.000,00
9. Publications (Newspaper) - ₦ 20.000,00
10. Transportation of chairs, canopies - ₦ 5.000,00
11. MC - ₦ 5.000,00
12. Judges - ₦ 9.000,00
13. Incidentals - ₦ 10.000,00
14. Telephone - ₦ 70.000,00

TOTAL - ₦ 462,900.00

(€1157,25)

Winner`s Prize in Kind/Project support): ₦600.000,00

€1500,00

Note: Dr. Emeka Ani donated €157,25 to complete cost of School Books

IMPLEMENTATION OF EVENT

Invited and Participating Schools

The following six schools participated in the competition

1. Primary School Obelagu Umana
2. State School Obelagu Umana
3. Central School Etiti
4. Community Primary School Okpudo
5. Community Primary School Omughu
6. Community Primary School Aguoba
7. Community Primary School Ibuzor Amokwe
8. Central School Idedu
9. Central School Ezema
10. Community Primary Obiagu

Special Guests in the Occasion

1. Rev. Fr. Dr. Ikechukwu Ani
2. Rev. Franklin Eze – Principal St. Paul’s College Eke
3. Mr. V. Ozofor – Director Guidance and Counseling Unit, Education Management Board Enugu
4. Delegates from the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB)
5. Members of School Based Management Committee (SBMC) of all the participating schools
6. Head teachers of all the participating primary schools
7. Community leaders in the host community

Competition Activities

1. Educational programme - Spelling B
2. Skill Acquisition - Presentation of creative works and crafts
3. Cultural Activities - Cultural Dance, songs, traditional fashion parade, news cast, Igbo riddles and jokes

The Competition Day

The inter-school competition event was carried out on the 24^th of January 2019 as planned. Below is the programme schedule that guided the event

Programme of Events

Welcoming and arrangement of the pupils and teachers from participating schools.

Introduction of the officials/members of the high table

Introduction /acknowledgment of special guests to the occasion

Opening prayers

Breaking of kola nut

National Anthem

Welcome songs by the host school

Chairman’s opening remark

Brief remarks on MEEO by the State Rep

The competition activities

• Explanation of the modalities and procedures of the competition by the competition coordinator
• School competitions
• Spelling Bee
• Presentation of creative works and crafts
• Cultural activities
• Collation and computation of scores
• Announcement of results
• Presentation of gifts and awards

Refreshment

Vote of thanks by the head teacher of the winner school

Closing remark by the chairman

Closing prayers

Execution

The events commenced around 11:00am (Nigerian Time) and came to a close by 3.32 pm. The programme of events as contained above was strictly followed and all the items were executed as scheduled.

Panel of Judges

A 3-man panel of judges was constituted to rate and score the pupils’ performances in the competition exercises. The pupils’ performances were rated by the judges using carefully thought-out rating scales and based on a uniform standard appropriate for their level in the Nigerian educational system.

Summary of Results

The table below shows the results of the pupils’ performances.

Prizes and Awards

1. The Mmuta Ka Educational Enhancement Organisation certificate was presented to the winner school (Primary School Obeleagu Umana) which was received by the head teacher unbehalf of the pupils’ and teachers of school.

2. Also for the Mmuta Ka Special Prize for the winner school, the school requested for the renovation of one of their dilapidated classroom blocks and was adopted.

3. All the schools that participated in the competition were given prizes as follows

4. Twenty-three (40) copies of Mmuta Ka 40-leaves exercises books

5. Twenty-three (40) writing pens

Entertainments

All the participants were satisfactorily entertained with foods, drinks, water, garden egg, etc.

Attendance

1. Number of pupils - 500

2. Number Teachers - 30

3. Number of Education Ministry officials - 20

4. Other guests - 50

Summary and Conclusion

The competition recorded a grand success. It was a remarkable day and will remain indelible in the minds of these kids and the community. The programme created a reawakening of intellectual excellence as well as motivations among the pupils and their teachers. There is no substitute to quality education in any effort to build functional society and responsible citizens and this programme has contributed immensely in encouraging the pupils and the teachers to pursue quality education.

Thus, the strategy to ‘catch-them-young’ by reaching out to this grass root level in our education systems and providing opportunity for every child to grow and develop his or her potentials initiated by Mmuta Ka Educational Enhancement Organisation is gloriously appreciated. We therefore request the continuation of this programme, and sincerely Thank Makarata International for this initiative.

Challenge

1. Transportation difficulties to the various primary schools due to bad roads and poor logistics for transporting the children. On a long term, availability of a vehicle to support supervision of schools prior to the Event, as well as Logistics and transportation of children and materials on the Event Day might be very helpful.

Recommendations

We therefore recommend as follows

1. The major prize awards be extended to the 2^nd and 3^rd positions

2. Adequate time should be given for preparations of subsequent competitions

Gratitude

Hearty thanks to Makaranta International for the initiative and sponsorship of this programme, also on behalf of the local communities where the schools are located. You are assured that we shall continue to improve on the execution of the event.

Tessy Amaka Ani

(on behalf of the Board of Management, Mmuta ka (Makaranta) Nigeria