Education
Ondo Disburses N400m Bursary, Scholarship Awards
The Ondo State Government
says it is disbursing N400 million to 32,698 indigenous students of the state in the country’s tertiary institutions as bursaries and scholarships for the 2012/2013 academic session.
The Chairman, Ondo State Scholarship Board, Mr Dayo Awude, told newsmen in Akure that N323 million was for bursaries, while N77 million was for scholarships.
“For this academic year alone, we are disbursing not less than N400 million as scholarship and bursary awards. “I must tell you that we are even paying now and 32,698 students are to receive this as scholarship and bursary awards, he said.
Awude said that for a student to qualify for scholarship, he or she must have a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.0 and above the previous year.
The student must also write and pass a qualifying test, he said, adding that each successful applicant under this category receives N100, 000 and this is called regular scheme.
According to him the physically challenged students were also included in the awards and added that though such people were known once seen, they too must apply.
Awude said that each successful physically challenged beneficiary received N50, 000, pointing out that 112 of them got the awards for the 2012/2013 academic session.
The chairman said that all medical students at the clinical level of their study as well as law students were paid N50, 000 each every session until they finished their studies.
“In this present disbursement, 713 and 198 medical and law students respectively, are benefiting,’’ he said.
According to him, any person who excelled in any other field is given an award under “special and automatic’’ scheme with a cash benefit of N100, 000 each.
“Any Ondo State indigene who is able to excel in any specific field like sports, education, cultural display or achieve any other feat is entitled to N100, 000 every year,’’ he said.
The chairman said that four persons were being considered for this category of award.
He said that 31,414 students benefited from the bursary awards, pointing out that 257 of them were under “regular bursary’’.
“For bursary, the major qualification for one to apply is that one must be in a university, polytechnic, college of education, monothecnic or school of health and hail from Ondo State.’’
Awude said that each of such applicant was entitled to N10, 000 .
Speaking on the awards, President, National Association of Ondo State Students’ Union (NAOSS), Mr Awodola Afolayan, applauded the state government for the gesture.
Afolayan, however, appealed to the state government to ensure that every qualified indigene of the state was captured in the scheme.
It could be recalled that members of NAOSS protested in December 2013 over alleged delay in the disbursement of the awards for the session.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.