Page 44, THlSDAY, Vol 16. No. 5966
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
news
EDUCATION
1,000 Nigerians Get Chevening Scholarships M O~
than I. 000 Nigcriruu have so fill' benefitted from the Ole\'ening &:holmhip since: the governmen t lind people: of Britain first inlrO!luted it 10 the country in 1983, British Hi gh Commissioner 10 Nigcrlll, Mr.
From Bllkola OIo/lInji ;".u.y..
Andrew Lloyd. whodisclo.o;ed this at the inaugurntion of Ihe Chevening Alumni ASM)Cialion of Nigeri!! in Abuj!!, weekend, 5aid, "During th!': last 28 Ye:lrs, over 1.000 Nij;erilIn men nnd
Indigent Students Get Education Grant
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26 indi!!.!!nl. bul
brillinnt students ~ to
receive an annual sum r NlOO. ()(X) towards
financing their uni versity educati on over a period of four yean;, In addition, 624 appli-
cants would also rttcive a bu~ary award of 1'1 10. 000 defraying the cost of pur~ ch:lsing academic books. SJX"llting al lhe launch of Post Secondary School Schol a~hip Scheme (PSSS). recen tl y. in Lagos. Senator O lurcmi Tinubu said IWO beneficiaries from each of the local govern~ menl areas nnd eight local Development Council Arei15 in the Lal!.os Central Sen:llorial disrfict would receive a bu~ary t)f N 100,000. rn..Iding that the initiali \'e has the objective of contributing It) Ihe development of education of )'oung and brillianl. but imlige nl person~. According 10 h,:r. " once Ihe new ncndemk session begins. fresh students can lake Iheir IIdmissiun leuers 3nd credible evi,Jence of regi.lOtralion 10 Ihe oHice of th~ir local government council or LCDA thainnan • before a prelimin'uy in ter· view prOl.:ess. Ea.:h of the 13 office~ has ix'cn give n 50 forms for potential beneficiari cs.Th!': Serwtor said the :teholarship scheme wns also aimed al boosting competitiveness and raising the standard of ~ncati on in the sHlte. adu ing . " At the
BJ' FUlIIlli Ogllmlore Nalional Assembly. Lagos State has been used as a point of re ferenc!': in tenns of raising Ihe slandanls of etiuClllion . We will ensure thai the competition is 5tifT 10 enable them strive foilhe best." TIle f"'Cunder of New Era Foundation noted that with· in the ne .~t two months, cheqUl':s would be presented 10 beocficiuies at its maid· en senatorial district Town Hal! meeling, where il would also launch a poverty :llIeviation programme for women who we~ olr.::ady into petty trnding. She expressed regret about the disparities in education and economic opportunities . saying that this co nstiluted the primary cause of gross inequality in the distribution of primary \\eahh. "Our p:lrty believes Ih:1I ~u ucation !s the key to nation:.1 unity and ec.onomic development. We a lso believe that education is indispensable for the development of an enlightened Ihat \ViII be easy to govcrn. but impos.~ible to enslave. Without a wel l ~ducated popu lation . deve lopments effons will be like pouring water into a basket :' the ~ nator Stn:S~ _
women, among the natioo's best and brightest minds. have n:t'cived Che\-ening a\varos in fields all di~ as manAgement, Jaw, media. humnn rjghts, sociol scicnte5. business, journalism, environment and en.gineering, across the range .... The High Commissioner, who unvriled the alumni I,,¥o 10 inllugur.lle the body saId, having $eO'ed as an otrJCCr helping 10 inlCf'liew potenti:.l Chevening Scholan at the Ihen Katluna omce of the: British COlineil bd....<een 1987 and 1990, the inauguration Wlls"a very welcome nnd \"ery warm rewm to a rrunil), thnt 1 dw:rish IUKI I am glad to be pun of on my return to Nigeria
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From: Cll1isfOpllel' I sigflUJ in &rip kit is instructh'C Lhai the kev nl3lld:!h:s of this a:run: ioclW:. tlw::: leSCarrll of Africml problems rdmed 10 foal security_tropic:al disc:ascs, including emerging and re-cmerging dise:lscs. IX.'Il~ of bio 1"t:5Olllas and en\lironm~ntal rronagonen1 and
rontrol.- III: said. TIle CCllIn! is ell.pedeti to pIl)duce tllC nell.t galCmtiOl1 Qf biQlecillJology ~islS. \100 11; 11 apply cunmg edge tedlJlOlo. gies 10 tICkle the rem probJems Ih:v. CQIl.'IIrain AI"ricJ -s dev!::1opnlClll. Okolo said the a:ntre 1\"O.11d be: the rust of its kind in AfrC nnd has born concei\'I':IJ to opo-:w: as D hub. in coI1abor.IIion lIith ether biot~y i~· 1llI0. o::ntre5 lind univrnitics in the sub-n:gim. "By this b'cl of sacrifke. }'OJ 113\"1': oot ooIy denmstratal )'001" sUI'POIt for this worthwhile pr¢ct. you hal"l': all demonstrated the kind of Ir.IJ1Hlationai and ~ionnJ ro Uaboration en\"i-
year)." Among the eminent Che\'ening Scholars, recognised by the High Commissioner w~. Messrs. Simon Kolawole, Bolaj] Abdullahi, lohn Momoh and Fmncis MOlleke. as well IU, Mrs. Eugenio Abu and Ojobo Atulukwu: many of whom. he said. '"have sino: reached the top of your profeMion.1IS well as jQining this "crsn! and growing network of UK-qualiflCd. Nigerian professionals. I think that provides a tremendons platfonn for Nigeria's future and foc e'~n strongl:r links Ix:twl:en our countries and between our people." Acwn:1ing to him, the~ an: 20 pemo:nl more' Ni~erians
visiting the United Kingdom this yc.1r [han last year. as visa applieatioll5 1TlO\'t:d from 120, I)X) !!Ild ISO. I)X) to peak at 200.000 [his ye:u: while 1r.Ide. for the ftrst quane:rof the: year. was at 80 percent each way. '!his is an COO1TIlOUS rise. We very much welcome the tr.xk, [ouri!m and family ties: the interaction betwccn Nigerian and British people." On possible n:asons ror the rise, Lloydsaid, Bpmt from the historical relationship that continues to develop bclwccn the two countries. "Nigeria's economy is growing. so man: people can affon! 10 Ira\'d . nnd with the genc:ral ekctions. there is a genc:ral SC:!lS(:(lf confidence and optimism about the fulu~ (If the: coontry: ' While the UK exercises
effeclive bortler control. the High CommiS5iOOCJ said, "We will continue to welrome qualified Nigerians. ObviOUlily. everyone cannot qualify, but we willlTlllinwn II fair visa policy:' Chainnan (If the: a550ciation's Board of Truslccs. Mr. Thomas Odemwingie said. ilS objectives m: to promoIe best prnctices in the applicllion of the benefilS of education. pronlOtl: link~ Ix:tween citiu:.lI5, ino;litulions. Bgrncies nnd Sov, emmenl5 of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, lIS we ll as a fantm. for members to make SUIlOO contributions 10 import:lnt national and international issues. Members IVCK laler hosted [0 a rettpt ion by the High Commi~ioner.
'FG Committed to Improving Girls' Education' he Federal Go\~mem has expn::sseU its commitment to ensurins thai str.J[egtes for impro\"ing girl-child education an: dissc:min:lled 10 atl SI3[CS of lhe Fc:tkrntiol1 10 enhance th e
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UNN Hosts Forum on Biotechnology Centre he Univt:TSil)" r f Nigeria. Nsukka (UNN) IStmtil1g:l three-dav tUnSulUlti\"e fonun stmllHline SIllItup mcd:llilics ror the InlCfl\:ltional Biot ~lmolotzy a:n~ !a%ntly IIppnwa:l for it by UniIaJ Nruions E:1ucatiOl\al. Scienlific and CultumJ Organisatiat (UNESCO). "The E~ccu t i\~ Board of UNESCO, al its l86th merting. hc:kI at its heal(1JllI1ers in Paris. May 13 to 19 . Ihis year: apprmnl the ~"3I for the cstJ.blishment or a UNESO) ~ 1l1nlermlliooal Centre f~ BioItdlllOloIt:y at UNN. 1111: VICt'-Cho~ IJor. Prof. 8.'lItho Okolo saXl. wliJe ll!CI':iv. ing a UNESCO teMl 31 Nsukh. tid till: Ca!.egory Il irstitulC: WlI!l being est:lbli§lnl willi the aim of strengthening nutr.mai :Int! n:gionaI capDtim in all ~I.'l of modem Biotl"Chn:>lo£}', nnd thai .... heu estnbIished, tlw:::cenlre lI"oold ~ dwllen£I':C to pI~y II Ieatling rol;: in the 3l·hjC\'e!T1e1lt of SIr.!!egic progrrunme Oljective ISFO)« UNESCO in
(as British High Commissioner, January this
sioned for our new ce!llre. l:;Ie ell.pl~ined that . "Considering the need tl,) get it right from the fim! SICJI- this fOlllrJI II~ conceil'ed to create rul a\'eIlUe r(!f us • 5l.'lkeholders to br.'tiTH:torm and strnIegise on the W3Y forward in Ilw:::esmbUsIltllC'!nt of the O:utr-e of Excellence in 13iolcchnology Ihat 11"1': desire.·· Direct o r / Country Rl'pn:'$I1talh~ of UNESCO, Dr. .losqIh Ngu, said the pro-. posetI ~ w(!'.l ld ~e ~I}' ;md tropical dis=...:: n:c<rnn:h ancI al.o;o pmvide a nl:rl"orm for e.,change and rollabor.!tion at till: national :Jnd regioonllevels. untl beyond. Aa:mling to him, .. Rl::scJrt:h
rood
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rre will n-.nke Q signirll.'alll CUlllribution to till: ba.lv of knowla:lgc 00 tl12 helping 10 lin tllCl!xisting gap." He cornmcndr:d Okolo, for working mmlo /T1:IkI! tile ttntn: a reaUl}',saylng, ~it!OCS without Silying thai ~ teaUmhip is crucial urd Ili n ensure :steady JX"OgI""C!!& and the lIttllinnw:::nI of the ~ objecti\l:s."
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From Faitl, llrufiri ...I~ reduction of high gender di ~ [l3rity in tllC nation '~ educa[ion sect(ll". Deli\"cring a keynote address ilt till: 11th Girl-Child Edllcmion National Sleeri ng Committee rm:'Cling in Abuja, ycsle:rd:ay. Minister of Stale for Education. Barr. Eunwo Nyesom Wi"e s., id the ministry would work with :all 5[:akeholders to ~'llle up programmc$ !!em~ towanls improving girls' edllClltion. He said the ministry lva.~ at presI!Ill addressing [he dropout syndrome of boys not! girls from st:hools. through the rehabilitMion of schools IUld advocacy "'SilS to StaiCS to sensiti!le planners Dnd ensure adequate community participation. especially by women. Accon:iing to him: 1111: Fet.Ieral Ministry of Education ~ tile critic-oil role of girl-child education nnd h:l!l mad£: it a top priority. IlI:nce the SCl'lle up of Gi rls' Edncatioll intervCI\tions 10 all Slates of [he Federation". Wike noted that the inter\'entions in girls' etlucalioo an: designed to addn::s.~ the De\'elopment Millennium Go:als, MOOS, Two and Three and assist Nigeria in ntbining its Education for All goals by lO IS .
11le Minisll:r who is al'iO the chainnan of the N3IionaJ Steering Committee appealed 10 slales to ~ipmcnle the gesture of development p;utne:rs by aJ~ cummilting TCSOUrce! to nddre.~ both !irL~ and gt ndefet.lucation i~ues . lie commended ,he British Depanme nt f(X" huem:ational Deve lopmem. (DAD) and UNICEF fUf the ir funding initiatives aoo Iet"hnio::al suppan
tow;m;l.'; enhancing girl-child edllcatioo. Earlier. Director of Ba.~k :and Secondary Education at Ihe Fe(kraJ Ministry o f Education. r.lrs I\.labc:1 Ozumba 5:lid Ihc. meeting wa.~ con\'(:ned hl discU$ nlOl!:ili· tics for inlpTlw inJ; on the gain5 ;utained in Ihc enhall<.-e· menl of gill<hild ttilK'Oltioll in the coo ntry.
Danfodio Varsity Gets Oxford Varsity Award
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fOnJ Universit y. Uni1ed Kingdom , has onfcrred tit<: European Quality Award o n U~manu Danfodiyo Univ(:rsity. Sokoto. for a rese.1rCh conducted by ItIC Analytic Depmtmc.nt. TIll:: Vice:-Chanct:ltor. Prof. Riskuwa Arnbu Shchu. who made this known while briefing IlCwsmen abou t the institution's lilIest project. 5:Iid it h:t:d cmnplio.l with all the requi~rnenlS and conditions ror the awaru . He Sl'Iid the uni versity reu:ntly embarked on tJl~ construction or a SO·room hotel in Abu'p at the. cost of over NJ21 million,:as pan of erTorts to generate income. in the face of dwindling
-From Mullnm",ed Amilll/ l<oW<ft ~Il.-es.
Shehu said I.he soon·tobe-compleled hOl.el consists Of 4 2 doub lc rooms urtdeisht suites. " As yOli are aware. resources are limited. thaI is why we have to alwa ys ell.plore rTlQIl: II'<!}'S to bool;t our inlem:al rt:\'WUC generation c:lp.'lCities [0 aU3in high st.andrud.~."
According to him . "opponunitics arc far too limited in Nigcrio 000 univcnities must surt:ly put 011 their thinking ClIps aOO think outside the box . Education is expensive, if you want quality. You have '0 in\n1 ."