9 finalists to contest N12.5m Interswitch varsity scholarships

Interswitch, an electronic payment and digital solutions company, said nine finalists would compete for N12.5 million worth of scholarships in its National Science Competition.

Its Spokesman, Tomijogun Ogunlesi, said in a statement on Wednesday that InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition was focused on driving increased interest in the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects among students.

According to him, the final of InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition, now in its third edition, is slated for Feb. 6.

Ogunlesi said that the competition was targeted at SS2 students between the ages of 14 and 17 and was introduced to reward excellence in STEM among students in Africa.

“Over the years, InterswitchSPAK has continued to be a flagship platform for Nigeria’s next generation of leaders, especially in the world of science and technology.

“Each edition, the finals have been the highpoint of the keen competition as some of Nigeria’s finest students battle for the exciting prizes.

“This year’s finale promises to be as exciting as usual. The finale is a must watch for every Nigerian that is passionate about education, technology and development,” he said.

He said that over 18,000 students from various secondary schools across the country participated in the national qualifying examination.

“Over 18,000 followed various levels of the keenly contested competition; this large number has been pruned down to nine finalists who will be contesting for the bragging rights as the ‘Best Science Student in Nigeria’.

“The student who claims this title will be rewarded with a N7.5 million scholarship spread over five years, a monthly stipend for the duration of the scholarship and a brand-new laptop.

“The second-place winner will receive N4 million worth of scholarships spread over three years; a monthly stipend, and a brand-new laptop.

”While the third-place winner will be rewarded with a N1 million scholarship for one year and a brand-new laptop,” he said.

Ogunlesi added that the InterswitchSPAK 3.0 TV Show continued to air, and could be viewed across selected media channels ahead of the grand finale on Feb. 6.