April 28, 2021
By Albert Baron Ansu
Impressed by the brilliant and stunning performance of pupil finalists in an inter school quiz contest based on civics and current affairs, the Chairman of National Council of Civic Education and Development Kalilu Totangay said it is the beginning of a journey. The event which is a pilot initiative marking the 60th independence anniversary was organized in all regions of the country. It was based on the theme Building Sierra Leone Together.
Madam Hillary John Western Regional Coordinator said they invited ten schools but only eight responded. The western area schools are Prince of Wales that emerged victorious, followed by Saint Edwards, Annie Walsh Memorial and Freetown School for Girls.
Individual ranking went to Johnny Paul Marrah of Prince of Wales. There were six persons that tied on the second ranking and it took several grueling rounds to arrive at a winner for the second place that was won by Madiatu Kamara of Freetown School for Girls, Tennyson Kamara of Prince of Wales took third place and Michaela Obtoe of Annie Walsh won the fourth place.
Other schools from the western area included Annie Walsh Memorial, Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary, Government Secondary School Kingtom and Independence Memorial.
A fifty page reader of questions and answers was produced based on a civics curriculum text book that NaCEED has produced and was shared among the competing schools. The pupils took two days to study the quiz reader based on short notice but the performance was generally very impressive much to the awe of the invitees and Chairman Totangay.
There were three contestants per schools who dipped for questions in envelopes and were read out for them to answer within the time frame of two minutes. Individual questions answered earned three points but when transferred to another member of the group it secured 2 points.
In what turned out to be a keenly contested competition the Prince of Wales earned 37 points; Saint Edwards, Annie Walsh 34 points and Freetown School for Girls 31 points.
Questions ranged from: what is Free and quality education? When was the first general election? What are the branches of government? When was the Child Right Law Introduced in Sierra Leone? What is downward vertical communication? When was FBC founded? When was COMAHS Established? Why are laws important?
Chaiman Kalilu Totangay said they are going to continue the process using drama and debates to inspire a sense of competiveness and reading passion among students towards promoting academic excellence in schools.
Civic text books that NaCEED has produced have been handed over to the Ministry of Education for subsequent distribution countrywide, A-Z Newspaper can confirm.