President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the Minister of
Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i to select top 25 universities in
the world for 101 qualified candidates of the annual presidential scholarship
test.
The minister disclosed this in Abuja during the presentation
of the certificate to the awardees. She said the presidential scholarship
scheme for innovation and development (PRESSID) was instituted by the Federal
Government of Nigeria as part of government’s efforts geared towards achieving
Vision 20:2020 goals which would be achieved through the sponsorship of
outstanding students for post graduate studies in the top 25 universities in
the world.
Beneficiaries of the scholarships are first class students of
government recognised
and approved universities in the disciplines of Sciences,
Basic Medical Sciences, Special Aspects of Biology, Economics, Engineering and
Technology, as well as Medicine.
The awardees who are expected to study in the 25 best universities
of the world up to Master’s and PhD levels, ‘are between 21 and 30 years of
age, 20 female and 81 male among them is one physically challenged candidate.
The minister said; “It is important to note that all the 449
short-listed candidates performed very well but it is unfortunate that in this
maiden edition of the presidential scholarship scheme, there are limited
spaces,” and only 101 candidates were taken.
She also revealed that 1,300 applicants registered on the
electronic portal for the scholarship scheme and 449 were invited for a
computer-based test and the results released instantly to avoid any form of
manipulation.
She advised the recipients to be of good behaviour as the
Federal Government “will not hesitate to withdraw the scholarship if at any
point we discover any act of misconduct.
“The scope of the offer includes tuition, accommodation, and
eating, return flight tickets, living expenses and local travels, apart from
“the actual breakdown and other special conditions, will be contained in
another letter to be issued,” she said.
The minister further said that all the candidates performed
very well but regretted that the maiden edition of the presidential scholarship
was limited.
She stated, “They have all demonstrated extreme intelligence
judging by their performance in the examination conducted and other
certificates they were presented. I have no doubt in my mind that the seed that
is being sown today will yield tremendous benefit for Nigeria.”
She, however, urged those who were not selected not to lose hope but
continue to excel in whatever they engaged in. She advised the selected
candidates to be God-fearing, humble, law abiding and show exemplary behaviour
as they are representing Nigeria.
Also speaking, Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius
Okojie said the programme is very competitive and open to everybody.
He went further to say that there is no problem about
funding the candidates as the Federal Government is known to keep its words.
He urged the awardees to take the advantage of the
opportunity given to them because they are the first set to benefit from the
exercise.
While speaking with one of the awardees Miss Anarado Ijeoma
expresses her sincere appreciation to the Federal Government for the
opportunity given to them. She declared that their greatest fear is
abandonment. “We plead with the Federal Government to fulfill its promises we
don’t want them to abandon us overseas, we want the Federal Government to be
fully concerned with our welfare”.
Culled:Vanguard
Edited:LII
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