By Wisdom Nwedene
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has increased the number of candidates to be sponsored by the State Government for academic studies within and outside the country, from 500 to 600 Ebonyians.
In a statement made available to our correspondent by the Special Assistant on New Media, Mr Leo Oketa said the state Government resolved to sponsor 100 Ebonyians abroad for their Masters Degree program, while 400 persons will have theirs in Nigerian Universities. But the Governor has now raised the bar to 170 for Masters Degrees abroad, 30 for Doctorate Degrees abroad and 400 persons for their Masters Degrees in Nigeria.
According to the statement, “Of those to have their Masters Degrees in Nigerian Universities, the Governor noted that 70 percent of them will be in Ebonyi State University, directing the Vice Chancellor, that none of them will spend one day extra, outside the needed 1 year and 6 months of a Masters Degree Program.”
“However, this has come with a special proviso, that courses of study MUST be ones capable of creating industries, boosting the State’s economy, giving a reputable name to the State and offering jobs to Ebonyi people. Applications for this scheme has been ongoing since last year at the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Ebonyi State.”
“Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is moving to revamp the State’s education system, to provide the needed ultimate value for our people. This value will trickle down to steadying the economy of the State, through creation of industries and jobs. Education remains one of the priorities of the Government of Ebonyi State as noted in The People’s Charter of Needs, which goes together with Developing Human Capital.”
“The Governor made these revelations yesterday, as he met with past beneficiaries of Ebonyi State Scholarship program.”
