Overseas Scholarship: RSSDA Shortlists 7,800 For Interview

The Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) says it shortlisted 7,800 Applicants for examination for the 2012/2013 Governor’s special overseas scholarship programmes.

The Executive Director of the Agency, Mr. Noble Pepple who disclosed this while monitoring the examination at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) last weekend in Port Harcourt, said that successful candidates will be invited for interviews which will be presided over by a panel of reknown educationists and others from across the country.

He also said that the entire process will lead to the selection of 150 candidates who will be placed in reputable universities abroad to undertake courses in medicine, economics Information Communication and Technology (ICT) engineering and the natural sciences.

The RSSDA Executive Director also said that  successful candidates will undergo some programmes in Nigeria  to enable them acquire their ‘A’ Level certificates before departure for their programmes  abroad.

According to him the preference for Medicine ICT, Economics,  Engineering and the natural sciences follows the dearth of manpower in the areas in the state.

“It is based on the skills that we have in the state that we have selected the areas for award and currently is still medicine, Engineering, ICT natural sciences as well as social science” he said.

Mr. Pepple who expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination said that the Agency will continue to make the process transparent.

In their reactions, Miss Precious Chioma Ordu and Christian Obioma both candidates from Emohua and Etche Local Government Areas respectively thanked the Agency for making the examination process transparent.

Also speaking, an applicant from Mbaitola Local Government Area, Mr. Johnson Ohuabunwa thanked the state government for creating opportunities for non indigenes to participate in the process.