Geethanehali Gnanasekaran, mother of the 12 year-old Mathematics champion in the South West said her 12-year-old son, Rishe, did not need the scholarship offered him by the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC).
Geethanehali spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the presentation of the prizes and awards to winners of the 15th National Mathematics Competition in Lagos.
Rishe, a pupil of Indian Language School, won the National Mathematics Competition in the South-West and bagged scholarship from NTIC, the organisers.
He was offered 100 per cent scholarship covering tuition and accommodation at the secondary level in NTIC, amongst other prizes.
Rishe, apart from the scholarship, also got a cash prize of N300, 000, while his teacher got N150, 000 and his school got a photocopy machine.
The mother said: “No need for the scholarship, he will remain in his school. Some other persons can use it.
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“He has planned what he will use the money for, he is going to do some charity works and some other things.”
She said that she was proud of her son’s glory at the competition because he had always excelled in his academics and competitions.
The elated mother said that her son prepared well for the competition, adding that she also played motherly role by supporting his effort.
Rishe, who also spoke with NAN, pledged to use his cash prize for charity works.
“I am not accepting the NTIC scholarship because I have been promoted in my school to JSS 1 after passing the Basic Six examination last Wednesday and I will continue there.
“I will give some of the money to my family members and friends and use the rest to buy toys and books,” he said.
The Indian boy said that he was satisfied with the teaching technique of his school, promising to continue his secondary education there.
Rishe said he was shocked to have emerged winner due to large numbers of pupils that participated in the competition and the various stages before the finals.
“I was so surprised, I didn’t expect it and that was why I was crying when I was called.
“While preparing for the competition, I kept studying one hour every day and also checked notes and some formulae on the internet,’’ the elated Rishe said.
NAN reports that Mr Ercan Yilmaz, the Principal of NTIC, at the event, said that college had been organising the competition for the past 15 years.
Yilmaz said that the competition was aimed at developing greater capacity and promoting effective teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary level.
“The Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC) has been ongoing for the past 15 years for all states in the country.
“We, here in Lagos, are in charge of nine states comprising Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Delta and Edo states.’’
Gnanasekaran scored 98.919 out of 100 per cent to emerge winner while the second position went to Praise Olawale, male of Bibo Oluwa Academy, Ilesa in Osun, scoring 98.854.
The third position winner is Esemitodje Rukevwe, male from the Mind Builders School, Lagos, scoring 98.167.
The first runner-up got N200, 000, his teacher got N100,000 and a desktop for the school.
The second runner-up got N100, 000, N75, 000 for the teacher and a printer for the school.
The competition was organised by the NTIC, in conjunction with the National Mathematics Centre, Abuja.
The competition was meant for primary five and six pupils of schools across the federation.
A total of 39,000 pupils across the region participated in the competition, out of which the best 12 pupils, their teachers and schools were awarded prizes.
The fourth to tenth position also attracted various cash prizes.
NAN
