About 12 secondary schools in Kwara State have qualified for the semi-finals of the Tax Club Quiz Competition in the state.

The schools advanced at the end of the preliminary stage held on Friday in Ilorin.

The competition was organised by the Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.

The competition, which began on June 23, followed a virtual mock test conducted by the KW-IRS Tax Club Advocacy Committee (TACAC) to familiarise participating schools with the Computer-Based Test (CBT) format introduced in 2024.

In her remarks, the Chairman of KW-IRS, Shade Omoniyi, said the successful completion of the preliminary stage reflected the agency’s commitment to leveraging technology to ensure transparency, efficiency and seamless participation.

Represented by the convener of the competition, Funmilola Oguntunbi, Ms Omoniyi added that the Tax Club online platform had been upgraded to enhance the administration of the annual competition.

She congratulated the 12 qualifying schools for their outstanding performances and expressed appreciation to principals, teachers and Local Government Area coordinators for their dedication and mentorship.

According to her, 90 schools registered for the competition, while 87 participated in the preliminary rounds.

She said 36 schools progressed from the first round to the second stage, from which 12 schools—four from each of the three senatorial districts—secured places in the semi-finals.

Ms Omoniyi said the semi-finals would be held virtually in October, with the top six schools advancing to the grand finale in November to compete for the overall prize of N2.5 million.

The state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, commended participating schools for their commitment and resilience throughout the exercise.

Mr Olohungbebe was represented at the event by a staff member of the ministry, Roseline Ayansola.

The qualifying schools include Government Day Secondary School, Oja Gboro; Saint Anthony’s Senior Secondary School; Ebenezer High School; and Ar-Raheem International College in Kwara Central.

Others are Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Offa; Oro Grammar School, Oro; Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo; and Hubbullah Islamic Model School, Omu-Aran in Kwara South.

Also qualified are Government Secondary School, Lafiagi; Baptist Model High School, Kaiama; Government Secondary School, Ilesha-Baruba; and Lafiagi Senior Secondary School in Kwara North.

(NAN)