Begoro Presbyterian Senior High School (SHS) in the Fanteakwa North district of the Eastern Region has been adjudged the overall winner of Nick Ochere Literacy Foundation (NOLF) maiden quiz competition.
The only SHS in the Fanteakwa North district beat Nsutam Senior High and Technical School and Osino Presbyetrian Senior High School, both schools in Fanteakwa South District Assembly.
The maiden Literacy quiz competition, which was organised by Nick Ochere, a publisher, philanthropist and resident of Begoro was to encourage the youth, mainly students, to cultivate the habit of reading to expand their knowledge.
The keenly contested competition, which was first of its kind, was mainly centered on one of three books published by Mr Nick Ochere titled: “Your Own People Volume 1”.
The book has been accepted by the Ghana Education Service to be used as a supplementary book in the various Senior High Schools in the country.
People from all walks of life, including academia, traditional leaders, clergy and students from the participating schools attended.
Speaking with The Chronicle shortly after the competition, the Founder of NOLF and Organiser of the competition, Mr Nick Ochere, expressed his general fulfilment and appreciation for a well-organised event.
He explained that the motive behind the quiz competition and the launching of the Foundation is to encourage the youth, mainly students, to cultivate the habit of reading to expand their knowledge.
To him, reading keeps people updated on what is happening, what has happened and what is about to happen because reading a book gives people life experience.
Mr. Nickolas Ochere disclosed that helping the people to build good literacy and to improve their educational standard is the main purpose of the quiz competition and the launching of the Foundation in the Fanteakwa North district.
The Publisher and Philanthropist stressed that, he visualises what seems to be a district based quiz competition transforming into a national program in the coming months to help equip the knowledge of the students in the country.
The Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong Kodua, who doubled as the chairman for the event paid glowing tribute to Mr. Nick Ochere for organising the competition.
According to the Pentecost University don, he was not surprised about the establishment of the good educational initiative by Mr Nick Okyere since it has always been his desire to inspire the youth and the younger generation.
He continued that, the maiden quiz competition which was based on the book, “your own people volume 1”, is an ample demonstration of humility and God fearing by Mr. Nick Okyere.
Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong Kodua said Mr. Nick’s prime objective is to help the younger generation to cultivate at the early stage desire to read, write and talk frequently to make their future brighter.
“Reading must be cultivated at the early stage because when it comes later, it comes with its own associated difficulties, it has been said that one of the greatest differences between human beings and animals, is human ability to write, read and communicate with sensible vocabulary,” he added
He explained that reading, writing and pronunciation is one of the distinctions between human beings and animals because animals don’t read and write, adding that human beings were created in the image of God, but animals were created differently.
He urged the students to spend their quality time studying books as it improves their focus, memory, empathy and communication skills.
