…Loretto Special Science School, Adazi-Nnukwu; Unity Model Nursery/Primary School, Nimo; Clinch First Positions in different Categories. St. Lucy’s Secondary School, Awka Comes 2nd in Sec Sch Category
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu, Michael Nnebife and Chika Nweke
The Awka Diocesan Quiz Competition has ended with schools from the three regions proving themselves in different categories. The competition, which started on the 13th of February at the regional levels and climaxed on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, witnessed lots of exciting school pupils and students making their schools, Management, parents and teachers proud.
The competition witnessed many schools from the three regions showcasing serious academic excellence and sharp reflexes, the schools proving to be on a steady rise with their performances which culminated into appreciable achievements.
The Diocesan Quiz Competition held at St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka, saw Loretto Special Science School, Adazi-Nnukwu, in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, emerge champion in the senior secondary category, while in the primary section, Junior Category, Basic 1-3, Unity Model Nursery and Primary School, Nimo, came 1st.
In the Secondary Category (Primary 4-6), St. Theresa’s Primary, Nimo, and Unity Model Nursery and Primary School came 4th and 5th, respectively.
In the Senior Secondary Category, Holy Family Secondary School, Nimo came 3rd; while in the Junior Secondary School Category, St. Michael’s Secondary School, Nimo, came 4th, with Stella Maris Secondary School, Abagana coming 6th.
Loretta scored 36 points in total to beat its closest rivals, St Lucy’s Secondary School, Awka, and Holy Family Secondary School, Awka, which took the second and the third positions respectively.
It will be recalled that the champions, Loretta, also took the first position in the regional level of the competition held on Thursday, 13th February, 2025, at St Andrew’s, Adazi-Nnukwu, qualifying it to represent Adazi Region at the diocesan level alongside its Bubendorf Memorial Grammar School, Adazi-Nnukwu and All Saints’ International Technical College, Awgbu counterparts. They secured second and third positions, respectively in the regional level.
The Diocesan Schools Quiz Competition will remain memorable to Adazi Region as All Saints’ International Technical College, Awgbu, Junior Secondary Category; Wisdom Nursery and Primary School, Aguluzigbo, Junior Category, and St John’s Nursery and Primary School, Neni, Senior Category, which represented the region, smiled home with third positions.
Speaking shortly after the exercise, the Chairman, Awka Diocesan Secondary School Competitions Committee and the Education Secretary of Nimo Region, Rev Fr Evaristus Ibenegbu, who expressed delight for the success of the competition, thanked the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor, and the Diocesan Education Secretary, Rev Fr Maximus Okonkwo, for providing enabling environment, which, he said, made the exercise a reality.
‘Generally, the competition has come and gone; we hope to improve strategically and creatively for the competition to take practical and technological dimensions; not just this question and answer session.
‘We will go into exhibition to showcase some artistic qualities and creativity.
‘I want to express gratitude to God Almighty for a successful competition which started at the regional level and climaxed today, 18 March 2025 at the Diocesan level. I’m overwhelmed with joy seeing these schools put up a good fight. It is really a thing of joy and something to thank God for.
‘I want to specially commend the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, for providing an enabling environment for the participating schools and regions to express themselves and also prove their mettle. He is an education-friendly Bishop.
‘Let me thank the Awka Diocesan Education Secretary, Rev. Fr. Maximus Okonkwo, for his providing directions and guidance, and also for always encouraging and identifying with us.
Also speaking, the Education Secretary of the region, Rev Fr Henry Uchechukwu Oduenyi, thanked the winning students for making the region proud; their teachers, for putting the students right; and all that contributed to the success of the competition.
The Adazi Education Secretary, who disclosed to Fides that Loretta took the second position in the 2024 competition, expressed joy at the improvement of education in Adazi Region.
The Secretary assured that the region would continue to move higher and higher in education, which, he said, remained paramount in the region.
He appealed to the Anambra State Government to give more support to returned schools for holistic education of the entire Anambra children.
Rev. Fr Oduenyi argued that children in returned schools, mission, and private schools, belonged to the government, but wondered why they should be denied a lot of things, specifically, teachers, by the government.
‘So we appeal to the government to give us more teachers for holistic education development of these children,’ Oduenyi said.
At the preliminary stage, 8 different schools participated during the Nimo Region Quiz Competition. Stella Maris Secondary School, Abagana; St. Theresa’s Sec. Sch Enugwu-Ukwu, clinched 1st positions in Senior, Junior Categories.
Stella Maris Secondary School, Abagana, and St. Theresa’s Secondary School, Enugwu-Ukwu, took first positions in Senior School and Junior Secondary School categories, respectively.
The Quiz Competition held at St. Michael’s Secondary School, Nimo, had a total of eight secondary schools in attendance, with six students representing each of the eight participating schools; three representatives for Junior School; and three representatives for Senior Secondary.
On the modalities used at the preliminary stage, there was no bonus mark. Each school answered three questions from each subject. In the senior category, the subjects were English Language, Igbo Language, Chemistry, Mathematics, CRS, Igbo Novels, and English Novels.
In the Junior Category, English Language, Igbo Language, Mathematics, Basic Technology, CRS, Igbo Novels, and the Diocesan Novels were given to them.
Announcing the results, the Education Secretary of Nimo Region, Reverend Evaristus Ibenegbu, thanked the coordinators of the Quiz Competition, as well as the participating schools, urging all those that performed to prepare adequately for the Diocesan Quiz Competition billed to hold on the 18th of March, 2025, saying that any school from the Region that performed well at the Diocesan level would be handsomely rewarded.
‘First and second positions at the Diocesan level will attract beautiful and mouthwatering rewards. The participants and their teachers will be greatly rewarded. I want us to change the narrative now. We are going all out to win,’ he stated.
The Nimo Region Education Secretary commended the Manager of Saint Michael’s Secondary School, Nimo, Reverend Fr. Dennis Nwabueze, for his hospitable nature and for providing the enabling environment.
In their separate speeches, the Administrative Secretary of Nimo Region, Rose Okeke, and the Sub-Dean of St. Theresa’s Secondary School, Enugwu-Ukwu, Chizoba Anaekwe, appreciated the Education Secretary for his organisational skills and words of encouragement, assuring him of a better outcome.
Results of the Quiz Competition are as follows:
Secondary School Category: Stella Maris Secondary School, Abagana took first position; St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Nimo, second position and Holy Family Secondary School, Nimo, third position.
In the Junior Secondary School Category, St. Theresa’s Sec Sch Enugwu-Ukwu took first position, while St. Michael’s Secondary School, Nimo, and Stella Maris Secondary School, Abagana, took second and third positions, respectively.
Similarly, the Awka Regional Secondary School Quiz Competition was held at St. Patrick’s School in Awka, bringing together some of the brightest young minds from secondary schools across the region. The competition aimed to promote academic excellence, teamwork, and healthy competition among students.
It commenced at 10:50 am after the opening prayers. It was two different categories; the Junior Secondary Category and The Senior Secondary Category.
A total of 13 secondary schools participated in the competition, each represented by a team of six students (3 students each for both categories). The participating schools were:
1) Christ the King College Isuaniocha
2) St. Patrick College Awka
3) St. Paul’s Sec School Achalla
4) St Lucy Sec School Ifite Awka
5) Ekwu Secondary School Amawbia
6) Tansi International College Amawbia
7) Rosary College Nise
8) St. John of God School Awka
9) St. Mary’s College Awka
10) St. Peter’s College Awka
11) St. Theresa’s College Ugwuoba
12) Holy Spirit Secondary School Ebenebe (who came very late, midway of the competition and were penalized)
13) John Angel Secondary School
The competition consisted of five rounds, each testing the students’ knowledge in different subjects, including Mathematics, Igbo, Basic Technology, CRS, English Language and both English and Igbo Novels (for the Junior Secondary Category) and then English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Igbo, English and Igbo novels (for the Senior Secondary Category).
Each round featured a series of questions, with teams earning points for correct answers.
After a fiercely contested competition, the results of both categories were announced by the Awka Regional Education Secretary, Rev. Fr. Angelo Obiako. Christ the King College, Isuaniocha and St. Lucy College Ifite-Awka, drew for the first position; while St. Patrick’s Secondary School secured the third place in the Junior Category.
Meanwhile, for the Senior Category, St. Lucy College, Ifite-Awka, took the first position, while Christ the King College, Isuaniocha, and St .Patrick’s College Awka drew the Second position.It was an intense competition.
The names of the students that won the competition are as follows:
The Junior Category:
The two schools that came first are:
1) Christ the King College
- a) Tagbo Chinenye
- b) Uwaezuoke Chioma
- c) Ementa Nkiruka
1) St Lucy’s Secondary School Ifite-Awka
- a) Ezeadili Chibuifem
- b) Udezuo Chiemelie
- c) Nzewi Chimezie
And then the runners-up:
2) St. Patrick’s College Awka
- a) Ndubuisi Ifeanyichukwu
- b) Maha Chisimdi
- c) John Kosisochukwu
Senior Secondary Category:
The school that got the first position
1) St. Lucy’s Secondary School Ifite-Awka
And then the two runners-up
2) St. Paul’s Secondary School Achalla
2) St. Patrick’s College Awka.
The Regional Secondary School Quiz Competition was a resounding success, providing a platform for students to showcase their academic prowess and compete with their peers. The organizers congratulated the winning team and all participating schools for their enthusiasm and dedication to academic excellence.
Based on the success of this competition, the organizers recommended that similar events be held regularly to promote academic excellence and healthy competition among secondary school students.
Announcement of the final results by the Education Secretary, refreshments, among others formed highpoints of the event.
