Iwerekun Community Senior High School, Lakowe, for the second consecutive year, has emerged winner of the 2025 Tolaram Science Challenge (TSC), defeating Ibeju Senior High School, Ibeju Agbe, at the grand finale of the competition sponsored by Lagos Free Zone (LFZ).
The TSC, a yearly competition for schools located within the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos, is the flagship corporate social responsibility initiative of LFZ, aimed at developing and promoting science education among students within the area.
The 16 secondary schools, each represented by six students, in this year’s edition were Ibeju Senior High School, Ibeju Agbe; Community Senior Secondary School, Debojo; Community Senior Secondary School, Akodo/Orofun; Royal Triple Dee School, Ibeju Lekki; Community Senior High School, Ibeju-Lekki; Igbogun Senior High School, Igbogun; Laborc Schools, Orimedu; and Community Senior High School, Magbon Segun.
Others are Jona Josh Schools Orofun; Iwerekun Community High school, Lakowe; Ise Senior High School, Epe; Lacaperia Academy, Obadore; Magbon-Alade Senior Grammar School; Orimedu Community Senior High School, Orimedu; Eagle Vision College, Orofun; and Community Senior High School, Idata/Ilagbo.
The students were tested in five core subjects, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and General Knowledge. At the end of the competition, Community Senior Secondary School, Akodo/Orofun emerged third, while Community Senior High School, Idata/Ilagbo came fourth.
During the closing ceremony, the top three outstanding students in the competition received cash prizes, while one student from each school was awarded the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scholarship.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Sustainability Officer, LFZ, Vishal Shah, reaffirmed the zone’s commitment to education, environmental stewardship, and the empowerment of future leaders.
Shah noted that the creativity and problem-solving skills displayed by the students during the challenge reflected a shift in thinking that prioritises sustainability and real-world impact.
He said students are re-imagining the use of everyday materials and offering practical solutions to improve resource management in their communities.
“We have seen students transform waste into opportunities, rethink everyday materials, and present solutions with the potential to reshape how communities manage resources, from the school system to creative product reuse. These young minds have shown that the future of our planet is in capable hands.”
He noted that across the communities, students are rising to the occasion, demonstrating curiosity, innovation, and a strong desire to solve real-world problems through science.
Director, Finance and Operations, LFZ, Ashish Khemka, said the challenge reflects a strategic vision to transform the initiative into a source of national pride by scaling it to the state and, eventually, the national level, with a target of reaching 20 schools next year.
The team captain of the winning school, Anthony Abednego, expressed delight at their success for the second year running. Reflecting on the fact that the two schools, Iwerekun Community Senior High School, Lakowe, and Ibeju Senior High School, Ibeju Agbe, were both finalists last year, Abednego noted that the success is a testament to the team’s hard work, consistency, and unwavering support of their teachers.
