Borno Grants Scholarship To 180 Students For Postgraduate Studies In Foreign Universities

By Ayodele Oni

The Borno State Government has set aside an annual budget of N2 billion to sponsor 180 students for their postgraduate studies at foreign universities.

The state Governor, Babagana Zulum disclosed that the sponsored 180 students would study for their postgraduate  in Malaysia and India.

At a send forth ceremony for the students, at the Government House, Maiduguri, Governor Zulum urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state and be dedicated to their studies.

“We expect each of you to exhibit a strong dedication to your studies and, in the future, to any professional roles you assume.

“Your dedication is crucial to ensuring that the benefits of your education directly contribute to the development and progress of Borno State.”

Among the 180 beneficiaries, are 12 PhD and 53 master’s students, who will study at Sharda University, India, as well as another 12 PhD and 73 candidates for Integral University, India. Others are 29 beneficiaries to study masters and PhD at different universities in Malaysia.

“We trust that you will honour this responsibility and use the knowledge and skills you gain to make a positive impact on our society.

“Additionally, I have directed that a monthly allowance of 150 USD be provided for your upkeep. It is important to note that with great opportunities come great.

“At this juncture, I wish to congratulate you on your success. However, I must also remind you that the government has invested significantly in your training. As mentioned earlier, nearly  N2 billion will be spent annually on your tuition alone.”

The Governor also announced automatic employment for the beneficiaries of the scholarship after completing their studies, stressing that on their return, some of the beneficiaries would be offered to teach at various tertiary institutions in the state.

“Those of you pursuing master’s degrees, where possible, try as much as possible to obtain your PhD.

“On this note, I want to direct the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation to liaise with the tertiary institutions in the state and see the possibility of recruiting some of today’s beneficiaries so that they will immediately resume duty on their return.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Wakilbe, explained that the 180 beneficiaries were to pursue courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in India and Malaysia.

He also said that while ₦1,988,670,230 was disbursed to cover the tuition fees for the 180 beneficiaries of foreign scholarships, another ₦338,500,000 was allocated for local scholarships, benefiting 303 students.