The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has taken 200 scholars to the Coventry University, United Kingdom (UK) for postgraduate studies.

The NDDC announced this in a statement it shared on its official X account on Sunday evening.

“Out of 56,000 applicants for the 2024/2025 program, only 200 were selected through a transparent electronic examination process,” the commission said.

NDDC Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku spoke as part of the commission’s monitoring and evaluation team for the foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme at the Coventry University, UK.

“The foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme is undergoing a remodeling to incorporate a tracking system that will monitor scholars’ progress after graduation,” Ogbuku said.

“This initiative aims to create a comprehensive database of over 2,900 students from the past 14 years.

“This will enable an assessment of the scholarship’s impact on human capacity development in the Niger Delta region.

“The scheme will now prioritize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses to align with the technological needs of the Niger Delta.”

NDDC Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. George Uzonwanne also spoke during the monitoring and evaluation team’s visit to the UK.

“The NDDC sponsors an average of 200 students each year for postgraduate studies at institutions worldwide,” Uzonwanne said in his address.

“These students are expected to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta region upon their return.”

The NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye was on hand to address participants at the event in the UK.

“I fully support the new initiatives introduced by Dr. Ogbuku. I emphasize the importance of monitoring and evaluation in ensuring the effectiveness of the foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme and the commitment of the NDDC to fostering a skilled workforce in the Niger Delta through targeted educational programs,” Iyaye said.

The NDDC Chairman, Governing Board, Chiedu Ebie who led the commission’s entourage to the UK also gave a speech.

“Maximizing the opportunities provided by the foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme is crucial,” Ebie stated.

“I encourage beneficiaries to enhance their knowledge for the betterment of the Niger Delta region.

“I commend previous scholarship recipients for setting high standards and urge current scholars to strive for excellence by emulating their success.

“Remarkably, 11 of our students graduated with distinction from Coventry University earlier this year.

“Their outstanding performance underscores the transparent selection process for these beneficiaries.”

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has allayed fears that students would be harassed if they default in repaying the Federal Government Students’ loan.

This comes as 260 federal and state tertiary institutions have been onboarded on the platform, with over 360,000 students registered on the scheme.

Speaking at a sensitisation meeting with students of the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, on Thursday, Managing Director of the Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, explained that while the facility is interest-free, students can only start repaying the loan two years after the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and working.

According to him, the Establishment Act has provisions for applicants to notify the agency if they remain unemployed after two years.

He said: “You will start loan repayment two years of graduation and completion of NYSC. Please also note that you cannot be reached for repayment of the loan if you are not working yet. So, don’t deny yourself the opportunity to get an education because of funds.”

The Guardian reports that the sensitisation for the student loan was organised alongside the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) led by its President, Lucky Emonefe.

The Managing Director said the engagement was designed to expose the students to the huge benefits of loans, and the good intentions of President Bola Tinubu.

He highlighted the processes of applying for the loan, insisting that NELFUND made them simple and seamless, with less human interaction so that no one can be denied the opportunity of accessing the loan for education.

He informed the students that in addition to the tuition fees paid fully per cent to the institutions, students are given monthly stipends for upkeep.

NANS President, Lucky Emonefe, encouraged students to embrace the opportunity.

He assured them of the genuineness of the system, adding that it is not for a few privileged people as erroneously believed by many people, but for all students who indicated interest and submitted the necessary information to the portal.

Also, he Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South East), Chioma Nweze, said the sensitisation meeting became necessary following the poor interest of the students in the South East schools to access the loan.

She said: “We shouldn’t be lagging in things like this. This loan is available for all Nigerian students to assess irrespective of region, religion, political affiliation, or other differences, and if people from other regions are already enjoying the services, why should we be holding back? It’s important we leverage this opportunity to support our education.”

Also, EBSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, highlighted some of the challenges they encountered in the cause of the application, even as he appealed to the Fund to address the issues to enable seamless application.

He, however, assured NELFund that the school management would continue to enlighten the students on the benefits of the student loan with guidance for seamless application.

“We have done this sensitisation in the past, and we saw the positive response we received from the students. The presence of senior NELFund and NANS officials in this engagement with students will further strengthen the confidence and trust of the students to the credibility and genuineness of the process,” he said.

Meanwhile, checks on the agency’s website revealed that as of October 3, 2024, 260 federal and state tertiary institutions have been onboarded on the platform, with over 360,000 student registrations and 267,984 loan applications.

Over 45,440 students have benefitted from the programme so far.

NELFUND announced that the first phase of the interest-free student loan which commenced on May 24, 2024, is expected to benefit no fewer than 1.2 million students.

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) on Thursday announced the official release of the results of the 2024 In-School National Business Certificate (NBC) and National Technical Certificate (NTC) examinations held nationwide in June/July.

Briefing newsmen at the NABTEB Headquarters in Benin, Acting Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr. Nnasia Asanga, said the examinations were held nationwide with a total of 67,751 candidates registered in 1,708 centres across all the states of the Federation, including the FCT.

Asanga said an analysis of the enrollment for the 2024 NBC/NTC Examinations indicates that candidates enrolled for 16 Engineering Trades, 7 Construction Trades, 9 Miscellaneous Trades, 4 Business Trades, and 16 General Education Subjects.

According to him, a total of 67,340 candidates sat for the certificate examinations, representing 99.39 percent of the total enrollments.

The Ag. Registrar said 44,000 candidates, representing 65.34 percent of the total candidates who sat for the NBC/NTC examinations, scored 5 credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

He further added that a total of 62,235 candidates, representing 92.42 percent of the candidates who sat for the examinations, obtained 5 credits and above with or without English Language and Mathematics.

He said, “It is important for you to note that 68.64 percent of candidates are certified as craftsmen, compared to 51.93 percent of candidates who were certified as craftsmen in the 2023 In-School NBC/NTC examinations.”

Asanga expressed optimism that the timely release of the results will greatly benefit candidates who may wish to use the results for admission into tertiary institutions.

A Nigerian, Dr. Peter Nwosu has said that he is both humbled and thrilled to become the first black President of the State University of New York.

As the 11th President of SUNY Oswego, Nwosu spoke about the institution’s past, present and exciting future during his Inauguration ceremony on Friday, September 27, 2024.

It was a day that the campus, community and guests from around the world came together to celebrate his inauguration as president, culminating a week of activities focusing on the institution and its future.

The inauguration featured addresses from the president and other dignitaries as well as opportunities to showcase students and other campus community members in poetry and song.

“Today marks an extraordinary moment in our collective journey and I am both humbled and thrilled to stand before you as the 11th president of the State University of New York at Oswego,” President Nwosu said.

Nwosu during his address talked about his experience coming to the United States of America (USA) from Nigeria as an immigrant student and how he kept the pair of shoes he brought with him.

“Those shoes humble me, those shoes center me and those shoes remind me of the journey that brought me here, highlighting the transformative power of education,” he said.

“The students who come to us each year come in their own shoes, seeking opportunities to improve their lives and their communities.

“Those shoes serve as a powerful reminder of our shared purpose and the profound moral responsibility we have to ensure that every student who comes to us completes their education and goes on to serve our region, our nation and the world.”

To help serve students and the region, President Nwosu spoke about the university’s commitment to a Vision 4040 plan.

According to him, the plan is to double the number of degrees and quality credentials provided by the State University of New York from 20,000 for the previous decade to 40,000 by the year 2040.

“Our Vision 4040 is a challenge, a powerful challenge and a call to action aimed at fostering a more educated region, enhancing upward mobility and developing the talent required for advancing our region’s economic growth,” he said.

“The State University of New York continues to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for individuals from near and far, a place where curiosity meets purpose.

“It is a place with a focus on empowering students with hands-on learning and practical experiences to reach their fullest potential, an emphasis that goes back to the institution’s 1861 founding by pioneering educator, Edward Austin Sheldon.

“As we embark on this exciting journey together, let us remember that our strength lies in our unity and our collaboration and our shared vision.

“You have heard me quote the African proverb which goes this way: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’”

Meanwhile, following his feat, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi in a post on his official X account on Thursday morning congratulated Nwosu.

“I sincerely congratulate the Nigerian-born Dr. Peter Nwosu, on his landmark achievement of emerging as the 11th and first black President of the State University of New York at Oswego, United States,” Obi wrote.

“In a historic watershed event, Dr Nwosu was officially inaugurated into this very distinguished position on the 27th of September, marking the first time an African-born president and an immigrant will lead the 163-year-old institution.

“As a man who has remained passionate and committed to the growth of education in society, Dr. Nwosu has continued to inspire the youths to prioritize education as a pathway to success in life.

“His visible achievements are a stark reminder, not just to individuals in society, but to us, the leaders of the Nigerian society, of the need to prioritize investment in education if we must salvage our nation from its present level of decadence and place it on the path of development.

“As I have maintained, education remains the best investment any nation can make for its citizens.

“I congratulate him once again and pray to God to grant him the wisdom and strength to function effectively in this new position as he also continues to contribute to our national development, especially in the education sector. A New Nigeria is POssible.”

A Nigerian, Dr. Peter Nwosu has become the first black President of the State University of New York at Oswego, United States of America (USA).

Following his feat, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi in a post on his official X account on Thursday morning congratulated Nwosu.

“I sincerely congratulate the Nigerian-born Dr. Peter Nwosu, on his landmark achievement of emerging as the 11th and first black President of the State University of New York at Oswego, United States,” Obi wrote.

“In a historic watershed event, Dr Nwosu was officially inaugurated into this very distinguished position on the 27th of September, marking the first time an African-born president and an immigrant will lead the 163-year-old institution.

“As a man who has remained passionate and committed to the growth of education in society, Dr. Nwosu has continued to inspire the youths to prioritize education as a pathway to success in life.

“His visible achievements are a stark reminder, not just to individuals in society, but to us, the leaders of the Nigerian society, of the need to prioritize investment in education if we must salvage our nation from its present level of decadence and place it on the path of development.

“As I have maintained, education remains the best investment any nation can make for its citizens.

“I congratulate him once again and pray to God to grant him the wisdom and strength to function effectively in this new position as he also continues to contribute to our national development, especially in the education sector. A New Nigeria is POssible.”

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has directed the development of a curriculum for Citizenship Studies in Nigeria.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) announced this in a post it shared on its X account on Thursday morning.

“FEC has directed the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria Education Research Development Council and other relevant government institutions and stakeholders to work with the National Orientation Agency to develop a curriculum for Citizenship Studies,” NOA wrote.

The NOA has listed some of the importance of CS as: Understanding Rights and Responsibilities, Promoting Civic Engagement and Building National Identity and Unity.

Others are Encouraging Critical Thinking, Promoting Social Justice and Tolerance, Developing Leadership and Responsibility as well as Enhancing Global Awareness.