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Six students drawn from various secondary schools will represent Nigeria at the 2024 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship (MOSWC) scheduled to hold in Disneyland, Anaheim, California, in the United States.
The competition, which is designed to test students’ capabilities in the use of Microsoft, would take place between July 28 and 31, 2024, and is a yearly event that attracts students from over 150 countries.
The six students were selected to represent Nigeria after emerging as winners of the 2024 MOS Nigeria competition conducted by ReadManna between October 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024.
Speaking on the competition, Chief Executive Officer of ReadManna Empowerment Initiative (REI), Mrs Edna Agusto, said Nigeria has come second and third in the World Championship in the past 15 years and had finished in the top 10 places nearly every year.
Agusto said the Nigerian version of the championship is sponsored yearly by Zenith Bank, and it challenges students to demonstrate their proficiency in the use of Microsoft word, PowerPoint and Excel.
According to Agusto, these Microsoft office specialist programmes are the most commonly used productivity tools by businesses worldwide and the official MOS certification programme assesses and demonstrates proficiency in these programmes.
She disclosed that winners of the 2024 Microsoft Office Specialist in Nigeria and their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teachers would be representing the country at the World Championship in America.
Giving the details of the students, Agusto said Olamiposi Ayoola Ajisafe is an Excel 2019 winner from Faith Academy, Gowon Estate, Lagos, who scored 1,000/1,000 at the competition; Gabari Rume, a Word 2019 winner from Grace High School, Gbagada, Lagos State, who scored 1,000/1,000; and Daniel Uzugbo, a PowerPoint 2019 winner from Faith Academy, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, who scored 1,000/1,000.
Others are Bolurinwa Fabuyi, an Excel Office365 winner from City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, who scored 980/1,000; Arigbabu Oluwadamisola, a Word Office 365 winner from Faith Academy, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, who scored 1,000/1,000; and Excel Chukwuemeka, a PowerPoint Office365 winner from Faith Academy, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, who scored 1,000/1,000.
The students will be accompanied by two ICT teachers – Mr Stephen Aimufua, from Faith Academy, Ota, Ogun State, who is the ICT teacher of the student with highest score in the 2023 MOS Nigeria Competition, and Mr Omotayo Adeniyi, of Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State, the ICT teacher of the school with the largest number of certified students in the 2024 Junior ReadManna under13 Computing Fundamentals National Competition.
Agusto disclosed that through the MOS certification, users would become proficient in the use of Microsoft office programmes, thereby improving their chances of becoming gainfully employed in today’s digital world.
“It is globally recognised and gives certified users the opportunity to apply for jobs anywhere in the world. MOS certification also provides a solid foundation for advanced ICT training and certified users will be able to pursue training in advanced computer technologies,” she said.
She said entries were received from secondary schools in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom and Kwara States, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and three universities – Covenant University, Ota; Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State and Top Faith University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
She disclosed that 126 students, comprising 68 boys and 58 girls were eventually shortlisted at the National Competition held in Uyo, Ikorodu, Ijebu-Ode, Abuja and Gbagada.
She said the competition is opened to all students between ages 13 and 22, who are enrolled in an academic institution.
Agusto added that ReadManna Empowerment initiative, a non-governmental organisation, drives current practical and relevant digital literacy skills aligned to global standards among students, youths and teachers in Nigeria through competitions and conferences.