…As Loyola Jeusit College clinches ‘Overall Best School In Nigeria’ award
By Gabriel Dike
Call Master David Babalola and Master Philip Alabi geniuses and you will be right. In fact that is what stakeholders at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) awards event called the two students.
At a colourful award ceremony held at the Multi-Purpose Hall, WAEC International office, Ikeja, Lagos during the 54rd annual meeting of Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC, Master David, Philip and Ugonma Nkata were rewarded for their performance in the May/June 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The three students who wrote the May/June 2015 WASSCE alongside 1.5million other candidates nationwide swept the three top awards at the event. Masters Philip and David also emerged the (1st) and third best nationwide in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO). Both were honoured for their outstanding performance in the school exam.
In the May/June WASSCE taken by 1,593,442 candidates, Babalola with exam number 4310830/059, recorded 9A1s in Data Processing, Civic Education, English Language, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Yoruba Language with total score of 673.7626. In NECO, the whizkid recorded 5A1’s and 4B2’s to place third best nationwide.
Other laurels and awards Babalola has won include Best Overall Pupil from Primary 1-5, Best Overall Candidate in Entrance Examination into JS1, Best Overall Student in JSS and SSS. Besides, he won 1st prize at the Joseph Babalola University Regional competition, and represented Oritamefa Baptist Model School and Oyo at state and national science quiz and Mathematical Olympiads, where he won 1st prize at the state final Mathematics Olympiad Junior category in 2012. He also came first at the national level of 2012 Cowbell Mathematics competition, and won two scholarships into tertiary institutions in Oyo State.
The 2nd best May/June 2015 WASSCE candidate went to Master Philip, formerly of Our Lady and St Francis Catholic College, Osogbo, Osun, with exam number 430313/053. He obtained 9As in Geography, Animal Husbandry, English Language, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics with total T-score of 667.1802.
The Ejigbo, Osun State-born lad emerged the best overall candidate in the June/July 2015 NECO SSCE by scoring 5A1s and 4B2s. He was honoured at a colourful event in Lagos recently. Other awards Philip won include Best Graduating Pupil in 2015. He placed first in Osun State Junior Mathematics Olympiad as well as the overall best at the national level. He clinched the second position in Cowbell Mathematics competition in Osun State and was the winner of American Mathematics competition in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Aside from both being among the best three candidates in the May/June 2015 WASSCE and NECO SSCE June/July 2015, the two whizkids attend the same university, are in the same level and both are studying Medicine and Surgery at the prestigious University of Ibadan. They have met severally in different competitions while representing their schools/states at regional and national level, and shared honours like in WAEC and NECO (state and national) awards.
Secondly, their parents are teachers. While Babalola dad’s is a lecturer at University of Ibadan, his mum teaches at St Louis Grammar, Mokola, Ibadan. For Alabi, his dad lectures at Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun state while his mum teaches at St Mark School, Osogbo.
Ambode’s worries over students’ performance
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who declared the event open and presented awards to the best candidates expressed concern over the unimpressive performance of students in WAEC in recent years stressing that “WASSCE results have been a source of concern for government and stakeholders at all levels. The yearly examination has been a key performance indicator and criterion for ascertaining standards as well as a tool for resulted oriented planning.’’
Ambode who was represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said based on the general performance of students who sits for WAEC, governments have recognized the need to address the deficiencies in the education sector covering areas such as quality of teaching, non conducive learning environment, inadequate infrastructure and defective curriculum.
The governor tasked WAEC to continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of the examinations conducted by the council so that it would be relied upon for objective assessment of standards as well as the effectiveness of government strategies and investment especially at the secondary school level. Ambode commended the awardees for their diligence in recording superlative performance in various subjects. He also lauded the Nigeria sub-board of WAEC Endowment Fund Board of Trustees for the presentation of book prizes to the best performing schools in the May/June 2015 WASSCE.
Loyola Jesuit College bags Best Overall School in WASSCE
On the occasion, WAEC honoured Loyola Jesuit College, Wuse, Abuja, for producing the best overall results in the May/June 2015 WASSCE. The college also produced the best female candidate, Nkata Ugonma with 9As. The 20-year-old college was presented with the Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy for its feat in the 2015 school examination. It must be noted that it has won it five times since 2002. It did in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008.
Three best schools in Lagos
The three best schools in Lagos, namely Lagoon School, Lekki, Sagab College, Ikorodu and Wellspring College, Omole Phase 2, Ikeja, were presented with books for producing the best aggregate results in Lagos State in the May/June 2015 WASSCE. The council also used the occasion to honour nine senior staff for long service (20 years) award.