9th Annual ICT quiz held in Kano

by

Abdullahi Isma’il

After holding preliminary ICT competitions in Jigawa and Bauchi states, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Kano conducted Kano 9^th Annual ICT Quiz as part of the preliminary series to select three secondary schools that will represent the state at the National ICT Quiz.

The occasion which took place at the Multi Purpose Hall, Digital Bridge Institute, Kano Campus witnessed the presence several dignitaries including Hajiya Ladidi Sani Fagge who represented the Director General, Kano State Senior Secondary School Management Board (KSSSSMB), Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim who represented Alhaji Sagir Muhammad, the Managing Director of Intersystem, Malam Sadiq Imam Abdullahi of Ministry of Science and Technology, Kano, Malam Mahadi Garba Doka who represented the Provost of Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Wari and Malam Usman A. Usman  representative of Engineer Femi Afolabi, the Chief Executive Officer, Only Computers Limited, Kano.

Other distinguished personalities that witnessed the occasion were Malam Ahmad Baita and Malam Murtala Muhammad representatives of the Vice Chancellor, Kano  University of Science and Technology (KUST) Wudil, Malama Rabi Isma, Special Adviser to Kano State Governor on Civil Society Organizations, Malam Auwal Abdullahi Tudun Wada and Malam Muhammad Bashir Yahaya  representatives of Directorate of Youth Development, Kano, Mr. James Audu, Mr. Adeola Allen and Malam Umar Abdullahi of Hands on Institute of Information Technology (HIIT), Kano among others.

The ICT competition hosted twenty three senior secondary schools from all parts of Kano State and forty six contestants wrestled to emerge victorious of the 9^th ICT competition in Kano. The competition was divided into two exciting sessions; morning and afternoon.

In the welcome address at the opening ceremony, the Executive Director of CITAD, Y.Z Yau  who was represented by Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai the significant of ICT is thoroughly unveiled especially in the area of educational institution. He stated that without ICT skills learning will not be effective and that already institution of learning themselves are migrating many of their processes including student-teacher interaction online, meaning those who have no online skills will be left out. In addition the paper called on the state government to pay attention to the provision of ICT facilities. He also announced the introduction of new innovations of rewarding the winning school with a school website instead of the traditional laptop, and proving personal prizes for the finalists.

In his remarks Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Wari, the Chairman of the occasion (Morning Session) urged the students participating in the quiz to put more efforts towards acquiring ICT knowledge as the entire world was now reduced into a smaller global village. Alhaji Aliyu called on the government and the elite to always contribute in the area of ICT education by providing ICT gadgets to institutions of learning.

In another paper presented at the occasion by Malam Ahmad Baita Garko, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Kano State University and Science and Technology, industrialization used to be seen as a factor measuring country’s economic strength but nowadays ICT wais gradually replacing it. A good example, according to the paper, is the ICT giants among the developing nations are the Asian countries of India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, and Singapore among others. The paper viewed ATM Machine in the Banking sector, the e-learning, e-registration and e-library in the academic arena as few of the changes brought by the wind of ICT in Nigeria. Malam Baita expressed appreciation for the organizers of the quiz and said that KUST is ready to partner with CITAD in making Nigerian ICT complaints

The students were also urged to redouble their efforts in acquiring ICT knowledge. This was contained in a speech delivered by Malama Rabi Isma, the Special Adviser to Kano State Governor on Civil Societies. Malama Rabi stated that ICT was in every profession and every aspect of human endeavor and therefore stressed the need for the students to acquire ICT knowledge in order to be able to face the challenges ahead of them 

Malam Auwalu Abdullahi Tudun Wada who represented the Director General, Ministry of Youth Development, Kano revealed that the ICT Quiz was one of the most interesting innovations for students to acquire ICT knowledge. Malam Auwal commended the organizers for hosting the Kano 9^th Annual ICT competition and promised that his Directorate will support the ICT Quiz in the future 

Mr. Ademola Allen of Hands on Institute of Information Technology (HiiT) Kano commended CITAD for a job well done and offered a free scholarship for Certificate in Information Technology (CIT) for the two students of the winning school. Mr. Allen added that HiiT offered 70% discount for the two students of first-runner up school and 50% discount for the students of the second up school respectively

The students on the other hand were urged to double their efforts towards learning by the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Deputy Director, Malam Sadiq Imam Abubakar said that the students were living in a modern complex society where competition was everywhere, in a situation where by students do not have proper education, life could be miserable. Malam Sadiq therefore stressed the need for the students to acquire knowledge especially ICT based

After the delivery of speeches, the Chairman of the Kano 9^th Annual Quiz Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Wari declared competition opened at about 11.52pm. The competition hosted twenty three senior secondary. Below is the list of the schools:

Government Technical College Kano, Government Girls College Dala, Government Senior Secondary School Dala, Government  Girls Senior Secondary School Shekara, Government  Girls Arabic Senior Secondary School Tudun Wada, Government  Senior Secondary School Sabuwar Kofa, Government  Girls Senior Secondary School Sani Mai Negge, Government  Girls College Gwale, Dawakin Tofa Science College, Day Science College, Government  Girls College Gezawa, Government  Senior Secondary School Tarauni, Girls Science Techical College, Aminu Kano Commercial College Goron Dutse, Government  Senior Secondary School Kawaji, Government  Girls Arabic Secondary School Kawaji, Government  Senior Secondary School Stadium, Government  Girls Senior Secondary School Yar Gaya, Government  Girls Unity College Kachako, Government  Girls College (WTC) Kano, Government  Girls Senior Secondary School Giginyu, Kano Foundation Girls Secondary School Bebeji, and Government Senior Secondary School Dawakin Tofa.

The schools were grouped into two: Group A, contained twelve schools while Group B contained eleven schools, each group held four exciting rounds at the end of which three schools from each group emerged out as winner for the final round. From Group A, Day Science Kano scored 8 points and was on top of the group; Dawakin Tofa Science College, score 6 points ended second, followed by Girls Technical College Kano, which came at the bottom with 4 points.

In group B, Kano Foundation Girls Senior Secondary School, (KFGSSS) Bebeji was the first to emerge out of the group with 8 points, followed by Aminu Kano Commercial College, (AKCCC) Goron Dutse, Kano with 6 points and Government Girls Unity College, Kachako (GGUC) ended at the bottom of the group with 4 points

In the final round of the quiz, Day Science College Kano set a new record wining all the points in all the rounds, earning twelve points and becoming the winner of the 2011 Kano 9^th Annual Quiz

Government Technical College Kano, with 10 points, won the second place position while Foundation Girls Senior Secondary School, won the third place position with 6 points.

Rewarding the winning schools, contestants, and their teachers has since been the tradition of the quiz organizers. CITAD had therefore lined up prizes for the winning schools, contestants and teachers. Presentation of the prizes immediately began after the conclusion of the quiz, thus;

• First position, a website donated by CITAD won by Day Science Kano, and presented to the school by Mal. Auwal Abdullahi Tudun Wada of Directorate of Youth Development
• Second position, laptop donated by Engineer Femi Afalobi, CEO/MD Only Computers Limited, Kano won by Government Technical College, Kano and presented  to the school by Malam Mahadi Garba Doka of Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi
• Third position, printer donated by Alh. Sagir Muhammad, CEO/MD Intersystem, Kano, won by Foundation Girls Senior Secondary School, Bebeji and presented to the school by Hajiya Ladidi Sani Fagge who represented the Director General, Kano Senior Secondary Schools Management Board, Kano

Other prizes consisted of Refurbished Desktop as the prize for the Best Performing Student donated by CITAD, Hamza  Lawan Abdullahi of Day Science Kano won the prize which was presented to him by Muhammad Bashir Yahaya of the Directorate of Youth Development, Kano. Amina Muhammad Isa of Foundation Girls Senior Secondary School, won the prize for the Best Female Participating Student, a color Television Set, donated by CITAD, which was presented to her by Mallam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai of CITAD.

Additionally, the prize for the Teacher of the winning school, a scanner donated by CITAD went to Malam  Abdulfatah Muhammad of Day Science Kano. Malam Ado Bala Bichi of Government Technical College, Kano and Mrs. Mrs. Asibi Yahaya of Foundation Girls Senior Secondary School, Bebeji, Kano won i-Pod each donated by CITAD as the prize of the teacher of the first and second runner up schools respectively  

The finalists Hamza Lawan Abdullahi and Abdulwahid Garba Rabi’u (Day Science, Kano), Aminu Alhassan Lawan and Umar Habib Shu’aibu (Government Technical College, Kano) Amina Muhammad Isa and Asma’u Umar (Foundation Girls Senior Secondary School, Kano) received each personal gift of clothing materials donated by CITAD

After the presentations and distributions of these prizes and gifts, Malam Auwal Abdullahi Tudun Wada stressed at the end of the occasion the need for students to work hard and acquire ICT knowledge. Malam Auwal restated that Directorate for Youth Development will assist in organizing the future ICT quiz

In the closing remarks by Malam Ahmad A. Yakasai, the quiz master urged the participating students to work harder in order to be able to become winners of the ICT quiz in the near future

Malam Ahmad expressed gratitude to Digital Bridge Institute, Kano State Senior Secondary School Management Board, Ministry of Science and Technology, Special Adviser on Civil Society Organizations to Kano State Governor, Only Computers Limited, Intersystem, Mediwat, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi, HiiT, Kano, Directorate of Youth Development, Kano, teachers and students of the participating schools, the media, the quiz team and everyone that contributed to the success of the 9^th Annual ICT quiz in Kano