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Ebonyi Students Abroad Stranded

Published

6 years ago

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•They are adequately taken care off, says Ebonyi governmentOverseas students from Ebonyi State are crying out their hearts to the State Government due to hard times they are facing.

The State’s Overseas Scholarship scheme participants are pursuing various PhD degrees at different Universities in Diaspora especially in the United Kingdom, have appealed to Governor David Umahi to disentangle them from the clutches of debts and embarrassment facing them in the foreign land.

The Governor had been assisting the students with their tuition fees and other logistics to ameliorate their condition since he assumed office in 2015.

In a statement tagged “A passionate appeal for an urgent intervention to salvage the deteriorating conditions of the abandoned Ebonyi state government sponsored PhD students in the Diaspora” and signed by Chuku Ejike, Enyita Clifford Iteshi and Jude Ogbodo of University of Bradford, Lancashire, University of Salford, Manchester and University of Central, Preston, respectively, on behalf of their colleagues, the trio explained how they have unavoidably accumulated huge debts through house rent, feeding and other miscellaneous expenditures in order to support ourselves aboard.

According to them, many of us in the final year of our research are perching precariously on the precipice and without paying up our bills; all our efforts and steadfastness for the past three years will be in vain.

The statement reads in part: “Your Excellency can recall that your administration had approved about £5,500 for each of the beneficiaries of this scholarship scheme on two different occasions. This money was tagged our ‘School fees’ but we want to bring to the notice of Your Excellency that the approved fund could not pay our school fees to say the least.

“Having been abandoned for so long, we have unavoidably accumulated huge debts through house rent, feeding and other miscellaneous expenditures to support ourselves. This should not have been the case if we are allowed unlimited hours to work. However, as students under

the Tier 4 students’ visas, there are limitations that affect our willingness to work.

“Based on this reason, we used the part payment we received earlier to offset some of our accumulated bills in order to guarantee our survival to continue with our studies and with the hope that Your Excellency will approve our fees and stipends at the appropriate time.

“Unfortunately, our conditions have gone from bad to worse. Ordinarily, PhDs in most of our universities should only last for 3-4 years if the students are comfortable, but when we are regularly locked out of the school resources, the duration of the programme is affected. Many of us in the final years of our research are perching precariously on the precipice.

“Without paying up our bills, all our efforts and steadfastness for the past three years will be in vain. We appeal to Your Excellency to approve the release of our tuition fees to guarantee the completion of our programmes in order to come home and contribute to the manpower needs of our dear state.

“It may interest Your Excellency to know that we have previously written reminders to you regarding all our outstanding tuition fees. Having exhausted their patience because of our nagging excuses about our inability to pay our tuition fees, the next option for our universities would be to commence legal actions against us.

“We have all received first and second warnings from our various institutions and the third one may involve the Debt Collectors Management who shall commence legal actions in this regard.

“The legal proceedings will be initiated against each of us in accordance with the laws of the land as well as those of our institutions of study. This shall involve the candidate and the

sponsor as the defendants knowing that the contract was established between Ebonyi State Government and our various institutions.”

Reacting to the development, the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. John Eke, who stated that the present administration was doing its best to ensure that these categories of foreign students were adequately provided for, explained that the state government had

recently paid their tuition fees to enable them conclude their educational pursuit abroad without stress.

According to him, despite the harsh economic situation in the country, Ebonyi State government has made a tradition not to owe workers’ salaries as payment of fees for the overseas students is usually done immediately after salaries of worker are paid in the state.

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Education

Fake University Degree Holders Soon To Be Fished Out And Arrested – Minister Of Education Announces

Published

4 weeks ago

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April 3, 2024

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The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on Tuesday, said security agencies will go after individuals with fake university certificates in the country.

According to the minister, the individuals will be tracked after the committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate the activities of university certificate racketeers in the country submits its report.

The Federal Government had set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of certificate racketeers following an investigative report published by Daily Nigerian which exposed the activities of degree mills in the Benin Republic.

The investigative report, which exposed the illegalities perpetrated by some tertiary institutions in the West African countries, led to the Nigerian government placing a ban on the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo.

The committee set up by the Federal Government was also tasked with investigating Nigerian private universities established in the last 15 years. Recently, the committee invited memoranda from the public. Selected members of the committee also visited institutions in the Benin Republic.

While speaking at the first quarterly citizens engagement in Abuja on Tuesday, the education minister, Mamman, said;

“On the issue of the fake degrees, we set up a committee and we expect them to submit their reports soon. Once the report is submitted, I can assure you that individuals with fake certificates will be apprehended. They will be tracked by security agencies.”

Also speaking at the engagement, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, noted that the quarterly citizenship engagement was aimed at creating awareness of the activities of the ministry.

He noted that the engagement would “ also promote mutual understanding with stakeholders and citizens, build and sustain public trust, and improve transparency and accountability in the sector.”

“Worthy of mention is that this engagement also aims to improve efficiency and streamline government operations by identifying and addressing bottlenecks,” Sununu said.

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Education

Stakeholders Head To Enugu For First South East Educators Conference

Published

1 month ago

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March 16, 2024

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Stakeholders in the education circle are warming up for the maiden edition of Southeast Educators’ Conference 2024(SEEC’24).

The two-day SEEC’24 scheduled to hold 18th & 19th, April 2024 at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu under theme: Future-‘Focused Learning – Igniting the Competitive Edge’

Promises to host key players in the education sector with a potential attendance of over 500 delegates.
The conference will feature a diverse lineup of speakers, covering topics ranging from holistic learning approaches to cutting-edge technology integration.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Mrs Doris Chinedu-Okoro,CEO, Evergreen Group, said SEEC’24 is the first of its kind in the Southeast region, presenting a historic opportunity for stakeholders to pioneer positive change in the local education sector.
“It brings together diverse perspectives and innovative ideas,fostering collaboration and networking among educators and stakeholders.
Hundreds of delegates will be in attendance.
“SEEC’24 is dedicated to exploring transformative practices, emphasising holistic learning, technology integration, globalcitizenship, life-long learning, and community engagement”, she said.

Mr. Osita Chidioka, the former Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, who recently launched an online mentorship and leadership programme for Nigerian youths named Mekaria Mentorship Programme (MMP) Foundation Course, will deliver the keynote at SEEC’24.

Prof. Pieter Verdegem; Dr. Joy Isa, Mrs. Bukola Adewuiyi, Lady Uju Dike, Fr. John Njorteah, Alex Onyia, Rotimi Eyitayo, Rhoda Odigboh, Elfrida Diete-Spiff Omole, Dr. ChibuezeLawrence Ofobuike, Ify Obidi-Essien, Dr. Abimbola Ogundere, Angelina Ikeako, Odetola Ebenezer Israel and OgochukwuOnyia, are some of the speakers lined up for the event.

The Evergreen Group CEO added that the conference thrives on a vision to create a dynamic platform that equips educators with the tools and knowledge needed to make a lasting impact on the educational landscape of South-Eastern Nigeria.

SEEC’24 is open to School Owners, Heads of Schools (Public and Private), Educational Stakeholders, Counselors, Teachers, Parents, Investors, Startups, and others in the education ecosystem.
“Participants will have the opportunity to engage in two full days of conference sessions, diving deep into the future of Education.
“There will be ample networking opportunities with school leaders from across the geopolitical zone and beyond.
“The evening Gala Night promises a delightful atmosphere for dancing, dining, wining, and fostering deeper connections in a relaxed setting”, she further explained.

Registration is N100,000 via: https://bit.ly/3uTcv9e

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Education

VDL: Essay Contest Alert For Senior Secondary School Students In Nigeria. Interesting Prizes For Winners Attached

Published

3 months ago

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February 10, 2024

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If you are a secondary School student in the senior category (SS1 – SS3) in Nigeria, Here is your chance to showcase your writing prowess in the “Values for daily living ESSAY CONTEST”

The VDL has set out in full motion to reward students who are eager to unleash their academic brilliance and challenge their inner strength.

This opportunity serves as a way to give back to the society by not only inculcating the values needed for a better society, But by additionally encouraging students to let their inner lights shine even brighter.

With the VDL Essay contest, Winners get to take home a whooping sum of;
₦500,000 For the student in place of the 1st Position,

₦300,000 For the student in place of the 2nd position, And

₦200,000 For the student in place of the 3rd position.

And it gets even better as the prize doesn’t just end here.
Winners will enjoy numerous benefits that will expose and propel them to a more beautiful journey ahead.

So what are you waiting for?

Are you a parent, A guardian, A teacher, A friend, Whoever you are, Share the Goodnews around and tell a friend to tell another friend.
Get that eligible student(s) registered as soon as possible as registrations will be ending on the 28th of February 2024.

To register and submit your essay, Visit the website by clicking on the link displayed on the Eflyer.

Please carefully read through the instructions on the website before registering.

Seize this moment to make your Narrative count!

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