Bisina Somto, PBA Journalism Mentee
Green Park Academy Edo State has emerged winner of the 11th edition of the Seplat JV PEARLs Quiz, one of the signature educational Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of Seplat Energy Plc.
Seplat Energy Plc, a leading Nigerian independent energy company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the London Stock Exchange, has concluded the 11th edition of Seplat JV PEARLs Quiz, which is one of its signature educational Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
Green Park Academy Edo State emerged winner, among 130 participating schools and bagged the coveted prize of 10 million Naira for a project and one hundred thousand Naira (N100,000) scholarship for each of its three participating students.
Following closely in the competition was Deeper Life High School, Warri, Delta State, which emerged as the second place winner. The school was given N5 million award for a project and seventy-five thousand naira (N75,000) scholarship each for its three competing students.
The University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School emerged as third winner and was given a prize of N3 million project award and fifty thousand naira (N50, 000) scholarship for each of its three partaking students.
A total of N18.675 million was awarded to the three winning schools and their participating students.
The programme, held in Benin City, Edo State, had in attendance secondary schools from Edo and Delta States, government officials, traditional rulers, media, management of the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL), staff, management and board members of Seplat Energy, among others.
Speaking on the impact of the initiative, the oil and gas firm explained that the PEARLs Quiz has come a long way, adding that the initiative had touched the lives of 51,955 students in Edo and Delta States and over 50 of them are in various universities across the country of which some have graduated, four have benefited from the undergraduate scholarship scheme, some have undergone industrial training with Seplat Energy; and these students provide a pool for the future employment.
While it impacts on schools in the form of project-based and cash prize, the programme has assisted the winning schools to develop legacy projects such as language laboratories, computer laboratories, libraries, provision of school buses, building of classroom blocks and various structural projects in the benefiting schools.
