The Ebonyi State Scholarship Board has disclosed that 304 indigenes of the state are currently studying in universities in the United Kingdom, with 202 already completing their master’s programmes and about 90 per cent of them graduating with distinctions.
The board also revealed that one Ebonyi student was studying in Canada under the state government’s overseas scholarship scheme, while more than 1,000 other beneficiaries were pursuing university education in institutions across Nigeria.
Chairman of the board, Chief Chaka Nweze, disclosed this in an interview, declaring the board’s readiness to provide clarifications and relevant information on the scholarship programmes.
Nweze, a former Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area, described the schemes as a major component of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s investment in education, stressing that the programmes were funded with public resources and intended to benefit the people of the state.
“This is a programme funded with public resources and intended for the benefit of Ebonyi people, so we are always ready to present facts about its implementation,” he said.
According to him, most of the 202 students who have completed their master’s degrees in the UK have proceeded to PhD programmes, while approximately 101 beneficiaries are still pursuing their master’s degrees.
He listed some of the institutions attended by the scholars as De Montfort University, Leeds Beckett University, Robert Gordon University, the University of Lincoln and Ulster University, among others.
Over 1,000 Students Benefit Nationwide
The scholarship board chairman explained that the overseas programme was only one aspect of the state government’s broader investment in education.
He said more than 1,000 Ebonyi students had also received scholarships to study at universities across Nigeria, dismissing the perception that the policy was designed exclusively for a privileged few to obtain education abroad.
“The policy is therefore not about sending a privileged few abroad but creating educational opportunities for Ebonyi youths across different levels to access quality tertiary education,” Nweze stated.
He maintained that the government was committed to expanding access to quality tertiary education and creating opportunities for young people from different parts of the state.
Why Students Travelled at Different Times
Addressing concerns and misconceptions about the implementation of the scheme, Nweze urged members of the public to seek clarification from the board before making public statements that could create misunderstandings.
He particularly addressed questions about why scholarship beneficiaries travelled to the UK at different times, explaining that their applications had been processed simultaneously but visa approvals were not issued at the same time.
“The issue of the beneficiaries’ movement has been recurring, but the fact remains that we processed all applications at the same time.
“We have to note that not all the applicants passed their visa interviews at the same time. Therefore, when an applicant secures a visa, he or she moves,” he explained.
The chairman stressed that the staggered departure of beneficiaries should not be interpreted as evidence that additional batches of students had been introduced into the programme.
He maintained that the original number of beneficiaries remained unchanged, adding that the board was open to providing information necessary to clarify issues surrounding the scheme.
