Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, Old Students Association, is battling with 29 other schools as it moves to retain its trophy in the Unity Schools Old Students Association, USOSA, national sports fiesta.
DAILY POST recalls that FGC Ikot Ekpene won the prestigious overall title during the last year edition of the competition.
In this year’s event, Enugu is playing host to 30 Unity Schools from across the country.
The week-long event features football, tug of war, march-past, swimming, long tennis, table tennis, snooker, ludo, draft, badminton, volleyball, basketball, gulf, among others.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Prof Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the Government of Enugu State, USOSA President-General, Michael Magaji, said the annual sports event promotes unity and national integration, with Enugu hosting this year’s edition.
“We believe in a sound mind and a sound body. This year, Enugu is hosting 30 schools to compete, interact and reconnect.
“It’s also a way of showing that people from different backgrounds can come together, compete and still uphold excellence,” he said.
He added that local schools would also be involved through invitational events to encourage wider participation.
Magaji, who re-echoed his calls for quality education, noted that reforms should go beyond infrastructure, but touch on inclusion and nation-building.
He used Enugu as an example, noting that the smart-school initiative was offering the grassroots and the underserved “the opportunity to participate in the 21st-century knowledge economy”.
He said USOSA remains committed to improving education through both advocacy and direct intervention.
“We are focused on education for the 21st-century child, looking at how it is delivered, the methods, and the teaching techniques,” he said.
In his remarks, Onyia said the state’s education reform programme was still at a foundational stage but already making steady progress, especially through the Smart Green Schools initiative.
He said after engaging USOSA and receiving feedback on curriculum and pedagogy, most of the smart green schools had started onboarding students.
