SystemSpecs has officially announced the closing of the fifth edition of the Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC) for Nigerian students. Winners from the competition will be announced on May 27, 2024, according to a statement.
The annual essay competition is SystemSpecs’ Corporate Social Responsibility initiative for primary and secondary school students enrolled in schools across Nigeria, and it is designed to facilitate capacity development in the ICT sector.
The essay competition introduced in 2020 has inspired participation from about 12,000 students and 5000 schools across all 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. This edition is taking on a more interesting dimension by rewarding outstanding children in the junior and senior categories with cash prizes and other gift items. The overall best students in the junior and senior categories will receive prize money of N1,000,000; 2nd Prize – N750,000; and 3rd Prize – N500,000.
Bukola Adeboye, Group Head, Corporate Services, SystemSpecs, said that the competition was open to all states in Nigeria. “In February 2024, the submission portal was declared open to eligible pupils and students enrolled in primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, both public and private, with the task to write on the topic: Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology”.
The children must, however, be between the ages of 9 to 12 (Junior category) and 13 to 16 (Senior category).
“We received all entries directly on the submission portal,” Bukola stated, adding that she anticipates the result this year, as the firm looks forward to celebrating the 2024 tech stars.
“This edition’s topic was carefully selected because SystemSpecs, as a technology powerhouse, recognizes the importance of online safety and the contribution of parents, guardians, and teachers in reinforcing digital resilience for children,” she added.
Also on the initiative, Henry Eguabor, Head of Brands and Marketing, SystemSpecs, stressed that it was borne out of the firm’s passion for contributing to the growing technology advancement in Nigeria, with the belief that the competition will encourage children to solve problems and inspire them to drive meaningful change.
In the coming weeks, a selected number of judges will evaluate the most outstanding entries to become the eventual beneficiaries of the 2024 prizes.
Beyond the essay contest, SystemSpecs is a strong advocate for educational projects and has been instrumental in the success of various CSR initiatives in Nigeria, geared towards ensuring brighter opportunities for the Nigerian child.
The Children’s Day Essay Competition seeks to introduce young people from all backgrounds, under-represented demographics and remote communities to sharpen their writing skills, develop digital literacy skills, and build advocacy for national transformation.
Through SystemSpecs’ consistent effort, the CDEC contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education in the 36 states and the FCT and aims to empower more young Nigerians through the national development initiative in the coming years.
SystemSpecs is a leading technology group that has operated in Nigeria and other African countries for over 30 years. Some of the companies under the group include Remita Payment Services Limited (RPSL), HumanManager Limited (HML), SystemSpecs Technology Services Limited (STSL), and SystemSpecs Deelaa Limited.