Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Ogun State Chapter held the final and prize giving ceremony of its computer quiz competition for different category of students, in furtherance of spreading and indoctrinating the use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools.

11 schools each from four designated zones of the State namely Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ota and Mowe qualified from the zonal stage of the earlier held for Yele Okeremi Young I.T. (Information Technology) Brains Competition for the primary schools and the maiden I.T. Talent Hunt competition for junior secondary schools respectively.

Grand finale of the competition held recently the African Church Grammar School, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta, comprised of both public and private schools.

The competition which was conducted using computer based test (CBT) had each school represented with two students.

The competition was keenly and feistily contested which resulted in tie-breaking rounds where some of the participating schools that had same winning points had to be separated.

At the end of the competition, two-time winners of the Yele Okeremi Young IT Brains Competition, Yomfield Nursery and Primary School, Obantoko Abeokuta emerged champions for the third time in the primary school category with The Ambassadors Nursery and Primary School, Ota and Seolad Nursery and Primary School, Mowe finishing as first and second runners up respectively.

In the junior secondary schools, Remo Secondary School, Sagamu scored the highest points to emerge as the winner of the maiden edition of the IT Talent Hunt competition while Seolad International College, Mowe and The Ambassador International School, Ota won the second and third positions respectively.

While speaking the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology who was represented by Mrs. Oluwaseun Olayinka lauded the society for their efforts at ensuring information technology is used and embraced by all and sundry for national development. She encouraged participants to put in their best and win laurels for the State, which is noted for excellence and that spread the gospel of IT to others.

Winners were presented with trophy and prizes for their schools and individually for their brilliance and excellence in the information technology competition.

In his address, the Chairman of the society, Alhaji Abdul-fattah Odusanya was deeply elated for the participation from schools and the high level of brilliance that was in play during the competition noting that quality was displayed going by the results.

He commended the teachers and mentors for a job well done on their students. The Chairman who coincidentally is an alumnus of Remo Secondary School that emerged winner of the IT Talent Hunt competition was happy for the victory by the government school, saying it shows that academic excellence is not lost in our schools.

Meanwhile, The Ambassadors International School, Ota won the state stage of the NCS National Whiz Kids competition for senior secondary schools while the 2014 national winner of the competition, Iganmode Grammar School, Ota and Deeper Life High School, Abeokuta finished in the second and third positions respectively.

The three schools will represent Ogun State and compete in the South West zonal stage to determine the school to represent the zone in the NCS International Conference to be held in Abuja from July 18-20. Ogun State has won the competition two times in 2012 and 2014.

Mr. Seyi Bamgboye, the Whiz Kidz competition Coordinator is optimistic that the initiative of the Ogun State Chapter of the Nigeria Computer Society will produce young IT entrepreneurs, programmers and software developers.

He recalled that during his own higher institution days, only one computer system was available in the laboratory and students had to jostle and struggle for its use to carry out very basic computer programming assignment when compared to the high level programming being taught in schools presently.

In attendance were the representative of the State Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Chairman of the society, Alhaji Abdul-Fattah Odusanya, the immediate past chairman of the society, Dr. 'Bukola Onashoga, state executive council (SEC) members and other members of the society.

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