CALABAR–In a significant stride towards reigniting academic fervor and fostering intellectual pursuits among its youth, the Cross River State Government, through the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Advocacy, has successfully launched the inaugural edition of the Cross River State Students Academic-thon Challenge (CRISSAC). This groundbreaking quiz competition is exclusively designed for public secondary schools across the state.
Spearheaded by Dr. AbasiOfiok Akpabio, Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Advocacy, this initiative is a collaborative effort with the State Ministry of Education and the State Planning Commission, receiving technical support from renowned ICT firms Dahël Consultant Techies.
Dr. Akpabio, in an interaction with NEGROIDHAVEN, articulated the core vision behind CRISSAC: to spotlight the untapped potential within public school students and bridge existing gaps in motivation, exposure, and educational opportunities. “Our primary objective is to draw attention to public schools, many of which have historically been underserved in competitive academic platforms,” Dr. Akpabio stated. “We firmly believe this project will reignite academic interest, significantly boost performance, and duly reward excellence where it is most impactful.”
Competition Structure and Grand Finale
The CRISSAC commenced on May 17th with rigorous school-level screenings. A total of 296 public secondary schools across all 18 local government areas participated, each nominating two representatives – one specializing in the sciences and another in the arts.
Successful school-level winners advanced to the local government stage, culminating in the zonal stage held on May 26th. From these intense rounds, the top three zonal performers have emerged as finalists, poised to compete for top honors at the grand finale. The highly anticipated grand finale is scheduled for Saturday, June 7th, at the Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar.
Generous Prizes and Incentives
The CRISSAC features a comprehensive array of incentives designed to stimulate active participation and acknowledge academic merit. Key highlights of the rewards include:
- The most outstanding student will be conferred with the prestigious award of One-day Governor of Cross River State.
- A ₦1 million scholarship will be awarded to the overall best student.
- The winning school will receive a ₦2 million
- The mentoring teacher of the winning student will be awarded ₦500,000.
- Brand-new laptops will be presented to all six finalists.
- Additional cash tokens for all finalists are currently under consideration.
Crucially, the scholarship fund will be securely managed through a dedicated bank account, accessible to the recipient upon reaching legal age, thereby ensuring judicious use and transparent management
Sustainability and Vision for the Future
The CRISSAC is envisioned as an annual event, with ambitious plans to institutionalize it within the state’s education calendar, ensuring its longevity beyond the current administration. The organizers are actively seeking deeper involvement from local government councils and are exploring additional private sector partnerships to bolster the initiative.
“Our aspiration is for Cross River State to rank among the top three states in WAEC performance before the conclusion of this administration,” Dr. Akpabio articulated. “It is imperative that education is once again duly recognized and rewarded in this generation.”
Dr. Akpabio also confirmed that modalities are being meticulously put in place to officially present the winning student to His Excellency, Governor Bassey Edet Otu, and to seamlessly integrate CRISSAC into key state events as a testament to the Governor’s unwavering support for education.
