The Rivers Unity House Foundation (UHF) has announced its readiness to commence Education Champions League (ECL) in Rivers State. The group explained that the education league, which would be known as ECL Quiz and Debate Competitions for secondary schools, is aimed at promoting quality education and reading culture amongst the young people in the society.

The competition, a part of the August Meeting series, organised by the UHF, would also hold other conversations that could help the intellectual well-being of the community at large.

The competition has been slated for launch on March 22, in Port Harcourt, during the 2024 edition of the August Meeting series by the foundation.

Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, the Convener of the UHF, Mr. Kingsley Wali, said that the mission of the ECL “is to bridge the gaps in quality interpersonal communication and nation building by promoting the culture of reading and writing among our young ones and all generations.” He emphasised the need to change the wrong conversation of the citizenry seeing everything from the perspectives of politics.

Wali said: “The ECL is intended to promote and encourage a reading culture and take us away from people who do nothing else than politics. “It will create the possibility of getting the city back to reading habits. We want to create a society, generation that is readership friendly.” He said that parts of the competition would be quizzes, book readings, and reviews, as well as revitalising existing libraries and building new ones.

Announcing that the reading challenge has already secured sponsorship for its first three years, Wali added that the second price of the competition has been instituted in honour of ace broadcaster, Late Boma Erokosima.

He said that winners of the competition would be provided scholarships, grants and other incentives to advance knowledge, education, and literacy within and outside Nigeria.

According to him, the UHF would take necessary measures and provide services or assistance, including the establishment of information centers, educational, research, and training institutions, others, for the betterment of society, particularly for the aforementioned class of persons and others.

Wali added: “The purpose of the Education Champions League Quiz Competition is to encourage reading, analytical and critical thinking skills among secondary school students to motivate them to improve their language skills and help them with finding their level of English while comparing their test results with their peers and students from other schools.

“Based on that, it is strongly recommended that all schools should nominate only those students who can represent them within the context of proper articulation, expression and presentation. The goal is to create even and fair conditions for all test participants.”

The convener also stated that the event would also be for the first quarter 2024 book reading, saying that the book slated for the day is “On A Platter Of Gold” by Mr. Bolaji Abdulahi.