By Anselem Anokwute
The Association of Ideato South Professionals of Nigeria in its 2nd edition of AISPN Academic Awards and Debate competition has called on the state Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha who incidentally is their brother to expedite action to improve the academic standard of Imo state through his free education scheme to ensure proficiency, effectiveness and pragmatism.
In his speech, last Saturday, 18 November 2017 at National Secondary School Ntuoke the National Chairman of the Association, Dr. Max Ugwu re-emphasize the aims and objectives of the Association which are to ensure development of professionalism amongst the Ideato South children. He announced that they decided to adopt such a charitable means to encourage the school by instituting an academic awards and debate competition. He maintained that all the best three students that came first, second and third positions were commended and rewarded generously.
Dr. Ugwu who maintained that the Association has remained apolitical, said in the first edition, the children and students from the Imo state government schools performed very poorly while their counterparts from the private schools virtually got all the top positions. He enjoined the students of Imo State government secondary schools who are enjoying the free education scheme to improve on their academic performances. He maintained that his Association has no school in particular at heart to favour but would always dwell on academic performance to reward the students.
In his remarks the chairman of the occasion and an industrial chemist by Profession, J.C. Igwe, commended the members of the Association for their passion to improve the students academic standard.
The Abia State University Don, Prof. J.C. Igwe, used the occasion to admonish all other Associations in Ideato South to emulate the AISPN.
Also Chief Dan Okwara who was described as the Associations Academic Awards ad debate competition major donor and a banker, said, their aim is to take education to the next level in Ideato South Council.
While Engr. Austin Elemuo said the Association is made up of real professionals, who are indigenes of Ideato South. He described AISPN as a non-profit making association but with passion to create young ones who would definitely take over from the older ones to ensure effective human capital development.
The highlights of the occasion were the reward of 63 students from Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in Ideato South while Queen of Holy Innocent Secondary School, Ogwume emerged best and won the golden trophy and Rochas Foundation College Obohia, emerged second position as well as National Secondary School Ntueke that emerged third position with the Comprehensive Secondary School Umuobum community, coming fourth positions.
