Tuesday, June 16, 2026

The Sun Nigeria

Edo gov’t flags off education talent hunt, says winners to get fully funded scholarship to tertiary institutions

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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

The Edo State government, on Friday, flagged-off Monday Okpebholo Education Talent Hunt to drive educational growth and instill academic excellence in the citizens of the state across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.Addressing Journalists during the flag-off ceremony at the Senior Secondary Education Board (SSEB) premises at Iyaro, Benin, the Executive Chairman, Edo State SSEB, Rita Otibho Erewele, PhD, said the initiative is to ensure that the best talents in science, social science, and arts in every local government area are picked for the exercise.

She said that research has proven beyond reasonable doubt that there is correlation between motivation and excellence thus, the governor wants to bring out the best in the public school students.

According to her, “This is the first ever education talent hunt in Edo State. Because of the interest of our able Governor, Monday Okpebholo in education sector, he has supported and sponsored this beautiful initiative to ensure that we pick the best talents in science, social science, and arts in every local government.

“After they start with this scholarship exam, these qualified and most intelligent students across the 18 local government areas of the state will be given a fully funded scholarship to all tertiary institutions in Edo State.

“These institutions include Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State University in Yamho, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen and College of Education, Igueben, Afuze and Abudu.

“This tertiary institutions has actually covered the three senatorial districts and every student that is selected that is qualified to go to any of these schools mentioned, will be sponsored by the Edo state government after emerging victorious at the Senator Monday Education Talent Hunt. This is the season one of this noble initiative.

“We are looking forward to continuity to season two season three. We are going to continue this initiative to ensure that we motivate the children to study by enhancing the study habit of children because from academic research, it has been investigated that there is a high correlation between motivation and academic performance of students.

“Based on this, we have come up with a motivating factor which is the award of this scholarship to enable them study hard and ensure that Edo State comes first in academic performance across the country.

“The selection process involves selecting the best in science, social science and and arts in all public senior secondary schools in Edo State, specifically SS3 students.

“After the selection of the best in science, social science, and arts in SS3 across all public secondary schools in Edo State, they will sit for a scholarship exam.

“After the first stage of the scholarship exam, we select the best three in science, social science, and arts from the 18 local governments, which will give us 162.

“This number will come for the second stage, which is the qualifying stage. At the second stage, the the best in science, social science, and arts will be selected from the 18 local governments, which will give us a total of 54, and these 54 students will emerge the winner of Senator Monday Okpebholo Education Talent Hunt and will be awarded fully funded scholarship to tertiary institutions”.

Commending the Edo State governor for the initiative, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Roland Otaru, SAN, said the initiative is aimed at “unlocking the  potentials” and educating the children.

“You know with education you break barriers, with education you break away poverty in your family and you will be useful to your family, be useful to your society and you will be useful to your community, be useful to your country and of course, you be useful to humanity.

“So it’s a very wonderful initiative a very robust one for that matter”, Prof. Otaru said.

Otaru said what the governor is doing is part of his SHINE Agenda and that he is not surprised.