Students from Imo and Enugu states emerged the biggest winners at the grand finale of the South East Maths Olympiad, a regional mathematics competition that attracted more than 11,500 participants from across the South-East.
The competition featured finalists from Anambra State, Enugu State, Imo State, Abia State, and Ebonyi State, who qualified through a series of elimination rounds.
In the primary category, Egejurum Onyedikachi from Diamond Special College Owerri clinched the top position with 13 points out of a possible 15.
He narrowly edged Onah Tobit of Anambra State, who finished just one point behind. Contestants representing Enugu State also shared the second position after an impressive showing.
The junior category saw a dominant performance by Onwubiko Chimdiebube of Evergreen Schools Enugu, who achieved a perfect score to secure first place.
Chimdiebube was awarded a cash prize of N3 million, while his teacher received N1 million. Students from Evergreen Schools swept the top three positions in the junior category under the guidance of mathematics teacher Chisom Unachukwu.
In the senior category, Don-Anele Marvelous Munachimso of Diamond Special College Owerri emerged overall champion.
Munachimso received N5 million as the winner’s prize, while his teacher was rewarded with N1 million. The student has also recently secured a $100,000 scholarship in Canada, further highlighting his academic accomplishments.
The competition was organised by education advocate Alex Onyia, who said the initiative aims to discover and nurture exceptional mathematical talents in the region.
According to Onyia, the olympiad is designed to encourage critical thinking and strengthen science and technology skills among young people in preparation for Africa’s future workforce.
Despite the celebration of outstanding performances, observers noted that no public school featured among the top positions in the competition, raising concerns about inequalities in access to quality learning resources.
Nevertheless, organisers described the event as a major platform for promoting excellence in mathematics education and inspiring the next generation of innovators in the South-East.
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