Northern Reps want Innovation and Development scholarship stopped - because it is favouring only First Class students

Northern Reps want Innovation and Development scholarship stopped - because it is favouring only First Class students

The House of Representatives Committee on Education on Thursday asked the Federal Government to stop the 2015/2016 Presidential Special Scholarship for Innovation and Development (PRESSID)on the grounds that the scheme was designed to favour some sections of the country to the exclusion of others.

The committee, which is chaired by a lawmaker from Kano State, Mr. Aminu Sulaiman, met with the Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Prof. Julius Okojie, in Abuja on Thursday.

Lawmakers engaged Okojie, who doubles as the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, in a heated debate over the matter.

Thursday’s directive of the committee was the second since last year when it started investigating the criteria for the award of the scholarships.

For example, Suleiman claimed that northerners were sidelined in the awards, leading to what he called “education imbalance and monumental abuse.”

However, Okojie replied that no considerations other than “merit,” qualified the beneficiaries for the awards.

Okojie explained that the award was meant for first class graduates, who were under 30 years of age, for further studies in any of the top 100 universities in the world.

Okojie added, “Unless we are saying that the criteria have to change, I will not advise that the programme should be scrapped.”

However, he assured the lawmakers that he would pass their position to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The committee observed that out of the 104 applicants short-listed for the scholarship this year, none came from the North-West and the North-East.

Members also said the North-Central received only seven slots, while the Federal Capital Territory also did not get any.

The PRESSID was initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan as part of efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 20:2020 and President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda. The PRESSID is for graduates who obtained first class degrees from recognised and approved universities in the areas of sciences, medicine, basic medical sciences, engineering, economics, special aspects of biology, nuclear physics, quantitative genetics, medical biochemistry, aeronautical engineering, among others.

Obviously, most northern students have not been able to obtain the first class degrees and thse who did through Federal Character system possibly couldn't pass the selection exams.

The northern Reps want the PRESSID to leave out a first class candidate from Biafra and replace him/with a 3rd Class candidate from Sokoto because they are sharing same country otherwise the programme should be scrapped.

Tell me once again that Nigeria is one! Merit is slaughtered on the alter of politics and you expect Nigeria to grow?

Recent improvements occasioned by the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, led to unprecedented disclosures and openness in various sectors of the economy, which hitherto has been suppressed to undermine the prowess of the Biafrans.

From Federal Unity Schools to WAEC, Biafran States and candidates have been topping the lists, which contradicts the notion that Igbos are mere uneducated businessmen that lacks academic abilities.

PRESSID requirements and screening procedure:

The 2015/16 PRESSID was widely advertised. Below is the excerpt of the advert. A total of 943 first class graduates from different universities across the country, sat for an examination for the Presidential Special Scholarship for Innovation and Development (PRESSID). 

A member of the scholarship implementation committee, Professor Olurotimi Tayo, who supervised the conduct of the examination in Abuja, disclosed that 943 first class graduates who were screened from over 2,000 who applied for the aptitude test participated.

He, however, said only 100 successful candidates would be sent to 25 top universities in the world for their masters programmes.

The Federal Government has so far, awarded the special scholarship to about 205 students for 2012/2013 and 2014/2015 sessions based on merit.

Tayo, said: “We screened those who applied and invited 943 students for the aptitude test. People applied online but you can be sure that by the time we invited 943 students, then those who applied were more than 2000.

“The idea is to train critical mass of people who would be able to innovate and develop the economy of Nigeria, he said.

PRESSID 2015/2016 Presidential Scholarship Award

Apply for PRESSID 2015/2016 Presidential Scholarship Award


www.scholarship-nigeria.com

2015/2016 Pressid Scholarship Award Form is out. The Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) Implementation Committee now invites applications from qualified candidates for the 2015/2016 academic session (third edition) scholarship award of the scheme.
As part of efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 20:2020 and the Transformation Agenda, the Federal Government of Nigeria plans to develop a critical mass of professionals who would serve as catalysts of change and agents of scientific and technological advancement, as well as sustainable economic development.
This would be achieved through the sponsorship of outstanding students for postgraduate studies in the top 28 universities in the world. To this end, the Federal Government has instituted the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development.
Eligibility/Criteria for Application:
Interested candidates should be graduates from the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 academic sessions, who would have completed their National Youth Service by October 2014.They must have obtained First Class Honours degree from any recognised and approved University in the following disciplines and aim at postgraduate degrees in the specified and allied disciplines:
1)Sciences: Nuclear Physics, Operations Research, Industrial Chemistry, Quantitative Genetics, etc;
2) Basic Medical Sciences: Anatomy, Physiology, Medical Biochemistry, etc;
3) Special Aspects of Biology: Biometrics, Molecular Biology, etc;
4) Economics: Econometrics, Development Economics, etc;
5) Engineering & Technology: Aeronautical Engineering, Mechatronics, Metallurgy, Material Science and Production Engineering, 6) Nanotechnology, Cyber-Security, Software Engineering, etc;
7) Medicine: Oncology, Human Genetics, Hepatology, Nuclear Medicine, Geriatrics, etc.
Exceptions: In the case of Medicine, candidates must have a minimum of 2 Distinctions in their Part 3 and Part 4 MBBS examinations;
In all cases, candidates must:
i) be below 30 years of age by October 2014;
ii) be computer literate; and
iii) be ready to be bonded and to work, preferably, as academic staff in any public university or research institute for a minimum period of five (5) years.

Full List Successful Candidates for Presidential Scholarship(PRESSID) 2015/2016 Published

List of successful applicants for Pressid scholarship is out. The Implementation Committee of the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) is pleased to announce the names of the successful candidates for the award of scholarships for the 2015/2016 academic session as follows:

S/No	NAME
1.	ABDULHAFIZ, ONIMISI USMAN
2.	ABDULHAKEEM, ONIMISI MOMOH
3.	ABDULJELIL, IYANIWURA ADIO ADEBOLA
4.	ABDULRAHMAN, OLAOBAJU
5.	ABIODUN, ADESOLA ADETUNJI
6.	ADUNOLA, CHRISTIANA FASHOGBON
7.	ALOYSIUS, KENECHUKWU EZEILO
8.	ATINUKE, OMOTANWA OLALEYE
9.	AUSTIN, AKACHUKWU NWOKEDIUKO
10.	AYODEJI, AVIS ADENIRAN
11.	AYOMIDE, AYEYEMI AKINTAYO
12.	BABAJIDE, OLAOLU AKINTUNDE
13.	BABAJIDE, YUSUF ONANUGA
14.	BAYONLE, AISHAT DAUDA
15.	BEST, EDEKI
16.	CHARLES, OBIOHA OSUAFOR
17.	CHIAMAKA, PEACE UZOEWULU
18.	CHIDOZIE, DONALD OJOBOR
19.	CHIKA, VICTOR EZE
20.	CHIMA, DONATUS UJOATUONU
21.	CHIMA, STANLEY EKE
22.	CHINEDU, AZUBUIKE AJOKU
23.	CHINEDU, JOSEPH NWOKEDIUKO
24.	CHISOM, IHUAKU AKAKURU
25.	CHISOM, SYLVIA ANYAEZU
26.	CHUKWUMA, DAVID IZUOGU
27.	DANIEL, OBIORA UDENZE
28.	DANIEL, OSETARE IKHALO
29.	EBERE, SUNNY CHUKWUBA
30.	EMEKA, NDULUE
31.	EMMANUEL, OKEOGHENE EFEONAH
32.	EMMANUEL, OLUWATOBI OLUGBADE
33.	FLORA, TOBI OYINE OKETA
34.	GABRIEL, UGOCHUKWU EGBO
35.	GIDEON, IDUMAH
36.	GIDEON, UCHEHARA
37.	HILLARY, ONYEBUCHI ONYISHI
38.	HYACINTH, CHIJIOKE ALI
39.	IFEANYI, KIZITO MADU
40.	IFEOMA, UCHENNA ONUGHA
41.	IKENNA, CHRISTOPHER OKWARA
42.	ISAIAH, OLABISI ADELABU
43.	ISIJOKELU, GIFT IJEH
44.	ISRAEL, MAYOMI THOMAS
45.	ISRAEL, OLABISI KOIKU
46.	IZUNNA, ODINAKA UMEZINNE
47.	JIDEOFOR, AMBROSE HENRY ODOEZE
48.	JOSEPH, OLUWABUSAYO ADETOYINBO
49.	JOSHUA, ADELEKE FOLORUNSO
50.	JUDE, IKAZEGBE INWUMOH
51.	KINGSLEY, ONYEKACHI EGBO
52.	MARTIN, CHINWEOKWU EZE
53.	MARTINS, OSHIORIAMHE AINERUA
54.	MARYLEEN, ULUAKU NDUBUAKU
55.	MORGAN, MANUCHIM WOPARA
56.	MOSES, ENWUBIKO UFFOR
57.	NNAEMEKA, WALTER CHIME
58.	OBIAJULU, COLLINS CHUKWUMA
59.	OGADIMMA, DESMOND OKAGU
60.	OGECHUKWU, VINCENTIA EZEH
61.	OGHENETEGA, JOSHUA ODJEGBA
62.	OGHENEYOMA, OGAGAOGHENE ADJEKPIYEDE
63.	OGOCHUKWU, KINGSLEY IJEOMAH
64.	OKWUNNA, MARYJANE UMEGO
65.	OLADAYO, AKINOLA SIYANBOLA
66.	OLAKUNLE, SUNDAY ABAWONSE
67.	OLALEKAN, PETER OGUNMEFUN
68.	OLAMIDE, YOMI KUMAPAYI
69.	OLAPEJU, OMOSOLA BADEJO
70.	OLUCHUKWU, ROSELINE OBI-ALAGO
71.	OLUFISAYO, TITILOPE OSOKO
72.	OLUMIDE, OLUSEGUN OSOKOYA
73.	OLUWADAMILOLA, AYOTUNDE AYODELE
74.	OLUWADARA, ABIDEMI OGUNKOYA
75.	OLUWAFEMI, PAUL FALOLA
76.	OLUWATOBI, AIKOMO
77.	OLUWATOBILOBA, IBUKUN OLADUNNI
78.	OLUWATOSIN, MATTHEW ADESANYA
79.	ONUORAH, JOSHUA NWANI
80.	ONYINYE, CHRISTIANA AZUBUIKE
81.	OPEYEMI, LUKUMAN FADIPE
82.	OSAGIE, AIWERIOGHENE ERIBO
83.	OSEZUA, OBEHI IBHADODE
84.	OYEBOLA, OLUWAKEMI OYESOLA
85.	OYENIKE, IKEOLUWA OYELEKE
86.	PROMISE, OBERORO AKENI
87.	SAMUEL, ATU JUNIOR ABOK
88.	SAMUEL, CHUKWUEMEKA OLISA
89.	SAMUEL, OLUWAGBEMI IYIOLA
90.	SCHOLASTICA, CHINELO OLANREWAJU
91.	SHERIFAT, OMOKHUWA YESUFU
92.	SIKIRU, ADEMOLA ADEWALE
93.	SOLOMON, MATHEW ONWUEGBU
94.	SOLOMON, OLASUNKANMI ODEYALE
95.	STEPHEN, OHIMAI AGBI
96.	TAOFEEQ, ALABI BADMUS
97.	TEMITOPE, ANUOLUWAPO OLUGBEJE
98.	TOLUWALEYI SAMUEL BABALOBI
99.	TUMININU, AYOTUNDE LAWANSON
100.	UCHECHUKWU, CHUKWUKA ARONU
101.	UCHECHUKWU, SANDRA AGBOGWU
102.	VICTOR , EMMANUEL SABO