Okpebholo flags off education talent hunt for Edo students

Edo State government has flagged off the Senator Monday Okpebholo Education Talent Hunt, an initiative aimed at driving educational growth and promoting excellence among public school students in the 18 local government areas of the state.

The ceremony held at the premises of the Senior Secondary Education Board (SSEB), Iyaro, Benin City, where the Executive Chairman of the board, Dr Rita Otibho Erewele, said the programme was designed to identify and nurture outstanding talents in science, social science and arts among students.

Erewele explained that the initiative was conceived to motivate students in public secondary schools to strive for excellence, noting that research had shown a correlation between motivation and academic performance.

She described the programme as the first of its kind in the state, adding that it was made possible by the commitment of Governor Okpebholo to improving the education sector.

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According to her, students who emerge in the talent hunt will benefit from fully funded scholarships to tertiary institutions within the state.

She listed the beneficiary institutions to include Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State University, Uzairue, Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, and Colleges of Education located in Igueben, Afuze and Abudu, noting that the institutions cover the three senatorial districts of the state.

Explaining the selection process, Erewele said the exercise will begin with the identification of the best students in science, social science and arts among SS3 students in all public secondary schools in the state.

She added that the selected students will sit for a scholarship examination, after which the best three candidates in each of the three categories will be chosen from the 18 local government areas, producing 162 students for the next stage.

The SSEB chairman further disclosed that after the second stage of the competition, the best students in science, social science and arts from each local government will be selected, bringing the total number of winners to 54, who will receive fully funded scholarships under the programme.

Commending the initiative, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Roland Otaru, said the programme will help unlock the potential of young people, stressing that education remains a critical tool for breaking the cycle of poverty and contributing meaningfully to society.

He added that the initiative aligned with the governor’s SHINE Agenda for the development of the state.