The Senior Special Assistant To The President of Nigeria on Students Engagement, Hon. Comrade Sunday Dayo Asefon has said his office was reaching out to relevant stakeholders in both public and private sectors for synergy that would birth numerous opportunities such as local and foreign scholarships, International exchange programs for Nigerian students to enable them realise their education pursuit with global relevance.
Asefon made this revelation through Amb. Timothy Nwachukwu, Technical Assistant on Communication, Office Of The Senior Special Assistant To The President on Students Engagement while responding to a visually impaired student from University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) who reached out to him on behalf of his visually impaired colleagues.
He said, “The Renewed Hope Administration of President Tinubu recognises education as the most potent and lethal arsenal against poverty, hence, the students loan Act, the directive to Management of Public tertiary institutions for the suspension of arbitrary fees several other initiatives is tailored to meet the needs and aspirations of young brilliant Nigerians like him who lack financial support to actualise their educational ambition.
“My office commenced engagement with public and private stakeholders in the education sector as well as foreign embassies and high commission to facilitate local and foreign scholarships for indigents but brilliant Nigerian students,” he said.
Asefon called on Nigerian students to take advantage of Federal Government Scholarships offers for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in different fields through the official website of Federal Scholarship board (FSB) and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Nigeria Liquified and Natural Gas (NLNG) among others.
He further commended some companies and foundations like MTN foundation, Jim Ovia Foundation, David Oyedepo foundation, Gani Fawehinm Foundation, Agbami, NNPC/Total, Exxon-mobil, Agip and NNPC-ADDAXX for offering scholarships as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Asefon reiterated the words of Nelson Mandela “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” and “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” by Allan Bloom and resolves that his office will aggressively pursue the educational welfare of Nigerian students through Educational Scholarships and foreign exchange programs.
