Community Senior High School at Lekki in Lagos has won 2023 Tolaram Science Challenge (TSC).
It defeated Magbon Alade Senior Grammar School at the grand finale of the competition sponsored by Lagos Free Zone (LFZ) Company.
The challenge is a science-based competition for schools within Ibeju-Lekki, where you have the Free Zone.
It is the CSR initiative of the company to develop and promote science education.
Sixteen schools participated this year, with each school represented by six pupils. Thjey were tested in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and general knowledge.
Community High School, Akodo finished third, while Eagle’s Vision International School, Orofun, came fourth.
The top three pupils were rewarded with cash and other prizes.
Also, the best pupils from the 16 participating schools were awarded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scholarship.
Representative of Permanent Secretary in Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Okesanya Abiodun, hailed Tolaram as a torchbearer shaping lives of pupils.
Okesanya noted teachers, parents and guardians, as well as organisations should nurture young minds to lead change in making Lagosa 21st-century economy.
Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Free Zone, Dinesh Rathi, hailed stakeholders for their support.
He said the competition has become a platform for creating champions for the future.
Aboidun said: “Today, I celebrate winners and everyone who participated and contributed ideas to the pool of human knowledge.
“The winners should see this as a step to a greater height and not relent in their studies.
“Also, to those who did not win, I encourage you to study hard next time. Your participation is a sign you are committed to academics,” he added.
Rathi disclosed that one of the social impacts of the competition was the emergence of one of the participants of the 2016 and 2017 editions of the competition, Kabiru Olakunle, as the best-graduating student from the School of Transport & Logistics at the 26th Convocation Ceremony of Lagos State University held recently.
He congratulated Community High School for emerging as the winner of the 2023 edition of the competition.
He explained that the company is delighted with how the competition has evolved since its inception in 2016.
He noted that the competition has undoubtedly helped significantly generate and encourage intellectual curiosity among students, which would serve as the bedrock needed to take Nigeria to greater heights. “In any competition, there are winners and losers. But at Tolaram Science Challenge, we believe there are winners and learners. There are no losers; all the students are learners”, he said.
Speaking shortly after receiving the trophy, the team captain, Community Senior High School, Lekki, Lot Stephen, expressed great delight at the success recorded by his team at this year’s competition, noting that the performance is a product of hard work and dedication from all the members of the team.
“I am happy to be part of the team achieving this feat. Though I was part of the representatives of my school in last year’s edition, but we didn’t win. The experience of last year fired me up to give my best, and I am grateful we emerged winner this year”, Stephen said.
The Tolaram Science Challenge is supported by other companies present in the zone, including Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, Lekki Freeport Terminal, Dufil Prima Foods Limited, producers of Indomie Instant Noodles, TG Arla – the producers of Dano Milk and Kellogg Tolaram.
Others are the Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, Stanbic IBTC, Leadway Assurance and CHEC.