Aide to former president John Dramani Mahama, Madam Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has lauded organizers of the annual Ayawaso Basic Schools quiz competition.
Whiles delivering a speech as the guest of honour for the just ended edition of the competition, she tasked the Zongo Inspiration Team, ZIT, to stay the course and improve the event year-in and out.
“I have been following the programme for quite some time and I think it is awesome what Zongo Inspiration Team is doing.”
Addressing the contesting students and others present, she stated: “Many years ago, we were all like you people and somebody had to inspire us and encourage us to do better and to do more.
“I think it is fantastic that you bring all these children here under one roof, spend time preparing m for their exams.”
She noted that, given the distinct and advancing communities that Zongos are, education has been and will continue to be a gamechanger.
She further extended greetings from office of John Dramani Mahama, who she said was out of town and as always held great interest in education.
The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Basic School located in Accra New Town were crowned winners of the Quiz Competition.
The school defeated three others in the final of the event that took place last Thursday, September 29, 2022 at the Nima-Mamobi Kathy Knowles Library, near the National Mosque, Kanda.
The winning team comprised Sagoe Desmond, Donkor Hannah Kissiwaa, Tamora Theresa and Kanyi Bettymood.
The competition which started earlier this month aims at pooling public and private schools in the Ayawaso cluster with the view to promoting out-of-class academic engagement with healthy competition.
The contest is specifically for Junior High School students.
Sixteen schools set out in four groups of four, with elimination of two schools after each contest, culminating in the semis and the finals that had the winning school, St. Kizito Roman Catholic Junior High School, Apostolic Hope School and Ring Road East ‘1’ Basic School.
For their award, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial team were awarded a giant trophy and sets of books among other prizes.
The event has other strands including entertainment and importantly the issue of role modeling, which entails sharing inspiring stories of professional Muslims with the young ones.
Sarkin Samari of the Hausa Community in Greater Accra, Alhaji Salisu Maude who awarded the finalists with cash prizes, encouraged them to aspire to achieve greater heights in life.
Aside Madam Mogtari, also present was Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East, Yussif Jajah; CEO of youth empowerment enterprise, ZongoVation Hub, Mahmoud Jajah and Umaru Sanda Amadu, a journalist with Citi FM.
Each of them shared their experiences and words of motivation with the students and other members of the audience.
ZIT describes itself as, “a career guidance and mentoring organization aimed at counseling, inspiring and building the capacities of young students in Zongo communities across the country.”
The organizers have expressed fulfilment at this year’s programme with the view to improve on all aspects of the 2023 edition.
The event which is the 4th edition had support from EPP book services, OP Studios, Alfirdaws Modern Bakery and Pastries and Manasseh Azure.