A cash prize of N700,000, a laptop and other gifts will be presented to the overall winner of the 2014 PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge for which the call for entry is running till November 24. The competition, which is in its second year, is open to SS2 and SS3 students in secondary schools in Lagos State.

The first to third runners-ups will also win laptops and cash prizes ranging from N300,000 to N500,000 while teachers and schools of the top four contestants will be rewarded with cash prizes and Chemistry books.

Addressing stakeholders at the media launch last Tuesday, the Corporate Affairs Director of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Yomi Ifaturoti, said that PZ Cussons Foundation focuses on education, health, road rehabilitation and provision of portable water. She disclosed that the foundation has executed over 45 of such projects in 30 locations round the country.

Mrs. Ifaturoti encouraged interested contestants to either download free entry forms from the dedicated website, www.pzcussonschemistrychallenge.com, pick up from the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Alausa Ikeja, or the six educational district offices across the state.

In announcing the call for entries to the second edition, the General Manager of Redwood Consulting, Mrs. Modupe Badiru, disclosed that the first stage of the competition will hold in 10 centres across Lagos State – an increase from the previous 8 centres – to allow more students to participate.

With only two students per school allowed to take part in the competition, the school authorities are encouraged to send in their best Chemistry students. According to Badiru, students are to be sponsored by their schools, while candidates are advised to provide their contact phone numbers and email addresses through which their examination centres would be communicated.

Engr. Tunde Oyelola, a member of the Board of Trustees of PZ Cussons Foundation, explained that the corporate social responsibility initiative was designed to stimulate and promote the learning of Chemistry among Nigerian secondary school students. “Other objectives,” according to him, “are to develop the science IQ of secondary school students and to demonstrate the relevance and role of Chemistry in our society.”

The PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge 2014 has received the endorsements and support of the Chemistry Society of Nigeria, the Lagos State Government and the National Association of Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria.

Sixteen-year-old Emmanuel Ejiogu Onyekachi, who was a student of Miketoy College, Ikotun, Lagos State, beat all contestants to win the star prize in the 2013 inaugural edition.