By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria has promised to utilize scholarship as reward and encouragement to brilliant Nigerians who cannot afford to study in foreign countries so as to make quality education accessible to all Nigerians.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, gave the assurance at a pre-departure briefing ceremony for 72 scholars leaving Nigeria to study in Hungary under the Bilateral Education Agreement, BEA, in Abuja.
The Bilateral Education Agreement, BEA, which started in 1999 with a revitalized scholarship scheme through investing more in National and International programmes in a bid to strengthen the BEA with development partners to develop her manpower needs.
Some active countries in the BEA scheme include Hungary, China, Algeria, Romania, Morocco, Serbia, Mexico, Egypt and Venezuela.
Other non-regulars include Macedonia, Poland, South Korea, Greece, Japan, Tunisia and Turkey.
Addressing the scholars and their parents, the Minister of State for Education, noted that in spite of the global economic meltdown, the number of development partners have increased and urged the beneficiaries of the award to continue to polish the good qualities that they have been exposed to and be willing to learn, relearn and unlearn as they begin another phase of their life’s journey.
Dr. Sununu enjoined the parents of the awardees to always uphold them in prayers and encourage them with sound advice at all times so that they can make them and Nigeria proud by being worthy Ambassadors in the country of their studies.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. David Adejo, on his part, admonished the awardees to be good ambassadors of their families and the country while reminding them that the scholarship is not just a recognition of their past academic achievements but an investment in their future, which comes with great responsibilities and expectations that on their return they will become catalysts for change in Nigeria.
Mr. Adejo, urged the awardees to utilize the opportunity to acquire skills that may be available in their host country of study needed for national development, push the boundaries of their knowledge, explore their passion, expand horizon, embrace new challenges, as a tool for effective change.
