2003/2004 Scholarship Presentation Ceremony – Delta State

The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. (Mrs) Veronica Ogbuagu has appealed to wealthy and spirited individuals, philanthropists and non- governmental organisations to assist in the education of less privileged and indigent student especially the girl child and women.

Dr. OGBUAGU gave this advise today at Asaba during the presentation of five hundred dollar scholarship award by Peace Corp Nigeria Alumni Foundation of United States of America in collaboration with the Forum for African Women Educationalists of Nigerian to an indigent student of CHUDE GIRLS MODEL SCHOOL, SAPELE, Miss Bridget Asamijoko.

Bridget Asamiyuko, winner of the PCNAF/FAWE scholarship in Delta State, with the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu (far right), and others at the awards ceremony.

The Commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Sec., Mr. Benjamin Umuze stated that such assistance, especially with low turn of the economy, would increase the number of indigent students acquiring education thereby complementing the efforts of the State Government.

He said that efforts of the organisation were in consonance with those of the State Goverment among which were the establishment of numerous scholarship schemes designed to cater for the need and protection of the girl child and women as well as undergraduate scholarship for children of deceased civil servants.

While commending the members of the group for coming to the aid of the recipient, Dr. Ogbuagu urged them to extend the gestures to more indigent students as a way of enhancing the status of the girl child education.

Earlier in her speech, the State Coordinator of the Forum for African Women Educationalists, Ms. Eunice Sada said that the support for the Peace Corp Nigeria Alumni Foundation of United States to their association was through the effort of their former National President, Prof. Jadesola Akande who appealed to the America group to assist it in alleviating the plight of the girl child education in the country.

She said that the group gave some stringent conditions which must be fulfilled among which were the fact that the recipient must be moving from JSS III to SS I, must be indigent, brilliant and well behaved after which the forms were sent to the schools through the offices of the Chief Inspectors of Education in the States.

The Coordinator further stated that the recipient was awarded the scholarship after attending written and oral test interview in Lagos with students from other parts of the country.

Receiving the money from the Permanent Sec., Ms Bridget Asamijoko, the best candidate from South South Zone thanked the association for their support and promised to use the money for her education.

In an interview later, the recipient said that she would study banking and finance in the University.

Directors and other senior staff of the Ministry were present during the presentation ceremony.

Dennis Medi
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Education, Asaba.