The Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) is now in its 15th edition while the corporate social responsibility (CSR) schemes of several other organisations hardly survive beyond the first year because of a lack of sustainability mechanism.
Some CSR projects are copycats, others are initiated merely to give the impression the organisation cares. But NASSMAC has got its act together.
Even in schools, mathematics is considered a no-go area let alone, having to adopt such a hard sell platform to give back to society.
The 2015 edition of NASSMAC was unveiled in Lagos, and for the first time, the competition will be in 189 centres in 33 states.
Festus Tettey, the Head of Marketing at Promasidor Nigeria, makers of Cowbell, said the competition is open to pupils aged between 10 and 18 in Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) and Senior Secondary School 2 (SSS2) who are receiving full time education in government-approved schools in the country.
The best three pupils in the junior and senior categories will represent each school.
The first stage of the competition holds on March 14 in 189 centres in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Tettey said officials of states’ Ministries of Education and Promasidor staff will be present at each centre to supervise the competition.
The result of the first stage will be available on the company’s website www.promasidor-ng.com from May 20, 2015.
For the second stage, which has been modified, Tettey said there will be a quiz and that a total 54 candidates from each category will qualify, comprising the best 20 in each category picked nationally irrespective of state and 34 from 33 states and Abuja.
“This selection will ensure that at least one representative is picked from each state,” he explained.
The best three pupils in each category at the state level will receive cash prizes of N25,000, N20,000, and N15,000 for the first, second and third positions.
Apart from the trophy, the overall winner will get N750,000 cash prize; the first runner-up N500,000 and the second runner-up N250,000.
Promasidor Nigeria Managing Director, Olivier Thiry, said the company is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the competition by adding an exciting new twist. His words: “We will now have a ‘Stage 2 Reloaded’, which includes a quiz segment and wonderful new prizes for the winning students and their teachers. Also, I am happy to announce that this 15th edition will see substantial increase in the prize package.
“Innovation drives the way we think, act and interact with our consumers and customers.”
Thiry said Promasidor’s commitment to NASSMAC over the years has seen it grow from a small school competition in Lagos in 1998 to a national one with great reputation in the industry.
NASSMAC aims to demystify mathematics and reawaken the consciousness and interest of students to it at secondary school level.
