How NEPL/Seplat Energy JV is transforming education in Delta, Edo States

August 6, 2024

At a time when quality education is a crucial factor in national development all over the world, numerous challenges continue to bedevil Nigeria’s education system. Despite the government’s yearly budgetary allocations aimed at bolstering the sector and plugging the noticeable gaps, challenges seem to have become hydra-headed.

President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 budget, while higher than previous years, allocated about 6.39 percent of the total budget to education—far short of the 15 to 20 percent recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This underfunding exacerbates the numerous challenges facing Nigeria’s education system, including inadequate infrastructure, low-quality teaching, sectoral brain drain, and a significant gap between urban and rural educational opportunities. As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria’s education sector is in urgent need of intervention to ensure that its youth are equipped for the future and can compete on the front stage of the global economy.

In this regard, NEPL/Seplat Energy JV is providing hope through its education-focused initiatives. The just-concluded 13th edition of the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV PEARLs Quiz competition provides a pointer to the JV’s dedication to fostering academic excellence and capacity building in Delta and Edo States. This annual competition not only challenges scholarly achievement among the students of both states, but also enhances the existing framework for education in these regions, proving a great example of social performance among corporations in Nigeria.

Designed to stimulate academic competition among secondary schools, the PEARLs Quiz has had a profound impact on the educational landscape of Delta and Edo States. This year’s quiz saw stiff competition where only 142 schools progressed to the competition stage, after a rigorous qualifying test. The final event, held July 5, 2024, showcased the intellectual prowess of the top 32 schools, culminating in the victory of Imaguero College from Benin, Edo State. The winning school received a project-based cash prize of N10 million and a scholarship of N100,000 for each of the three participating students.

Securing the second place was Marble Hill School, Asaba, Delta State, awarded Five million naira for a project and a N75,000 scholarship for each of the three participating students, while the third place winner, Edo State’s Baptist High School, received Three million naira for a project, and a N50,000 scholarship for each of the three participating students, respectively. All teachers of the schools that got to the competition stage were also given laptop gifts for their hard work and input.

Expressing her gratitude to the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV for organising the competition, Joy Obonodi, a student from Imaguero College said, “there are no words to express how I feel, I am overwhelmed, we are overwhelmed. Like, is this possible? I don’t know, because we were already losing. But the only thing I could think of was just to breathe and believe in God. “This kind of opportunity is an encouragement to the minds of people because I’ve been seeing this competition since I entered Primary 6. We have been doing it in my school. You are encouraging people. You are building the minds of individuals and we cannot thank you enough”.

Speaking about Imaguero College’s victory at the competition, Joan Osa Oviawe, Edo State Commissioner for Education commended Seplat Energy for the initiative.

“It is always a great thing when young people have an opportunity to participate in academic contests. I also want to congratulate our state’s Secondary Education Board, the principal, executive principal of the school, teachers, and everybody who has had a role to play in what has happened today. It has been a long journey of reforming our education system through Governor Obaseki Edo Best 2 .0 Education Reform Agenda, and I am quite elated to see that our public schools have come out on top.”

What NEPL/Seplat Energy JV is doing is not limited to utilising the power of competition as an organising principle. The PEARLs quiz has been instrumental in driving infrastructural development in schools, which is pivotal to the establishment of the right learning environment for students. Since the start of the programme 13 years ago, winning schools have embarked on such endeavours as the construction of language laboratories, computer laboratories, libraries, and classroom blocks among other things. These upgrades are helpful for students as they are offered better study conditions and learning facilities, encouraging them to aspire to excellence.

While considering the results of the PEARLs quiz, one cannot help but notice the radical academic change in the students from the two states. Over 57,875 students have benefited from the programme, and are now more confident persons with a sense of accomplishment. The initiative has also provided education grants to 108 students, with over 80 of them currently studying in various universities across Nigeria. Additionally, 22 students have benefited from the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV undergraduate scholarship scheme, and three have undergone industrial training with the company. This holistic approach ensures that students are not only academically proficient but also prepared for future career opportunities.

It is pertinent to say that the PEARLs quiz has contributed significantly to the educational development of Delta and Edo States. The programme has been a key factor in maintaining high pass rates in external examinations such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams. By promoting a culture of academic excellence, the PEARLs Quiz has reinforced the value of quality education and the importance of lifelong learning.

The NEPL/Seplat Energy JV efforts have not gone unnoticed by state authorities. During the grand finale of the competition, Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine), representing Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, lauded the company’s contributions to the educational sector. He affirmed that the state government’s policies are in harmony with the JV’s efforts in refining the inherent latent talents of youths and fostering growth and development. His remarks highlighted the shared values and collaborative efforts between Seplat Energy and the state governments in driving sustainable development.

“Even though over time, we have separated and become Edo and Delta, our children have been able to show us that they can compete, very favourably and very friendly. I am also so appreciative of the students who won, particularly coming from a public school. It’s, of course, an indication of the fact that governments can indeed put more money into public schools,” he said.

Emmanuel Otokhine, Base Manager of Seplat Energy’s Western Asset, expressed his gratitude to the participating schools, students, and teachers. He acknowledged their hard work and dedication, which have been instrumental in the success of the competition. Otokhine reiterated Seplat Energy’s commitment to supporting educational initiatives and investing in the future of Nigeria’s youth.

He said: “We are involved in the whole education value chain. The key goal of Seplat is to promote academic excellence, encourage scholarship, encourage students to be more and more interested in education, and help to improve the quality of teaching skills of the teachers. And that is also why we do the Teachers Empowerment Program and a number of other programs. We also build school infrastructure. So, the whole length of the education value chain, we are all involved in that. Of course, this underscores our social development programs across the region, particularly in the Edo, Delta States.

In his congratulatory remarks, Owunari Tomikeimeye, NNPC Exploration and Production Limited Representative dwelled on the possibilities that exist when education is given attention, especially in government-owned schools. Ezulu said: “I want to say a very big thank you to all the schools, the teachers, and the parents that have done so much for us to achieve this. There’s one thing I want everyone here to take home, whether public or private school.”

“This is a very big opportunity for all our public schools, being discouraged, and not doing well. So go back home and tell those public schools, the government schools, that they can do better than this. I congratulate all the winners today and all the competitors and thank you Seplat, thank you our wonderful teachers, thank you the government, and also this is an opportunity for the governments of both states to encourage the public sector school,” he added.

The NEPL/Seplat Energy JV PEARLs Quiz is a clear testimony to the fact that corporate players can go a long way in enriching the education system of a nation. By investing in academic excellence and infrastructural development, NEPL/Seplat Energy JV is building the blocks for a sound and quality education system in Nigeria. The company’s consistent efforts in fostering growth and development through education are, indeed, commendable.

As Nigeria grapples with finding lasting solutions to the challenges within the education sector, other corporate organizations can borrow a leaf from the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV playbook to approach corporate social investment. By emulating the NEPL/Seplat Energy JV model, companies can contribute significantly to national development and help create a brighter future for Nigeria’s youth.