Over 150 Anam Senior Secondary Students Set to Participate in EYAF Maiden STEM Quiz Challenge

By Olisemeka Obeche

More than 150 senior secondary school students from Anam and neighbouring communities are expected to participate in the maiden edition of the Elite Youths of Anam Foundation (EYAF) STEM Quiz Challenge, scheduled to hold on July 18, 2026, as the Foundation intensifies efforts to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education among young people.

President of the Foundation, Dr. Christopher Ejike Anekwe, said the competition is designed to ignite students’ interest in STEM subjects while providing them with an opportunity to demonstrate academic excellence, strengthen problem-solving abilities and improve their digital literacy through computer-based testing.

“Our goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, innovators and problem-solvers,” Dr. Anekwe said. “Beyond identifying winners, we want students to see STEM as a pathway to solving real-world challenges and contributing meaningfully to society.”

According to him, the competition will also encourage healthy academic rivalry among schools, expose students to online examinations and motivate teachers to adopt more innovative approaches to STEM education and assessment.

Dr. Anekwe explained that the July 2026 competition is intended to serve as the foundation for an annual programme that will continue to expand in scope. Future editions, he said, will feature wider school participation, additional STEM innovation contests, mentorship opportunities for outstanding participants and stronger partnerships with educational institutions and corporate organisations.

He acknowledged that creating awareness among schools, sustaining volunteer commitment and reaching students outside Anam have been some of the major challenges encountered in planning the inaugural event. To address these, EYAF has intensified school visits, digital publicity and direct engagement with school administrators across the target areas.

On ensuring fairness, the EYAF President said the questions are based on the approved secondary school curriculum rather than specialised laboratory experience, allowing students from schools with limited STEM resources to compete on equal footing. Experienced STEM educators, he added, are handling question development, moderation and adjudication to ensure transparency, curriculum relevance and balanced difficulty levels.

Dr. Anekwe also disclosed that contingency measures have been put in place to address possible technical challenges during the computer-based first stage of the competition, including backup question materials, technical support for the CBT platform and flexible scheduling if necessary.

The Foundation has already completed its competition framework and operational guidelines, while question development is at an advanced stage pending final integration into the CBT platform.

Expressing confidence in the team’s preparedness, Dr. Anekwe rated the Foundation’s readiness at 8 out of 10, noting that the remaining tasks include final logistics, question validation and expanding participation before the event.

“For many of these young people, this is more than a quiz,” he said. “It is an opportunity to discover their potential, dream bigger and begin a journey toward becoming the scientists, engineers and innovators our society needs.”

The EYAF STEM Quiz Challenge is expected to become one of the Foundation’s flagship educational initiatives, promoting academic excellence, innovation and youth development across Anam and beyond.