Education

Pupil gets scholarship to dream school despite not making grade

Published

3 years ago

January 20, 2022

A few years ago, when Bilikisu Abdulrahman was a pupil of Olowora Primary School, Isheri, Lagos, a former pupil of the school, Blessing Ugbebor, visited.

Blessing visited her former school as a pupil of Mind Builders High School. She got a scholarship to the school in 2018 when Mind Builders School renovated Olowora Primary School as part of its 20th anniversary celebration and she impressed guests with her delivery of a vote of thanks at the event.

Blessing who excelled in the entrance examination, shared how hard work earned her scholarship to the elite school and encouraged pupils of her former school to be studious.

That visit made a strong impression on Bilikisu, who was then in Primary Five, and she started dreaming of joining Blessing at Mind Builders after her primary education.

But to do so, she had to win a scholarship as her mother, Mrs. Khadija Abdulrahman, a low-income nanny, was raising her four girls alone after being abandoned by their father.

“The first day Blessing walked into our school to tell us about Mind Builders, that was when I said I would also try to get this scholarship because I really like the way she talked about the school. I said I will work hard and try to get to the school.

“I read hard, and my common entrance exam I made sure that I passed. I read all night and when the entrance exam came I wrote it; and after that I prayed I get the scholarship.,” said Bilikisu, now 11 years old.

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After writing the scholarship examination and not hearing from Mind Builders, Bilikisu’s mother, persuaded her to begin registration at the public junior secondary school closest to their home.

Bilikisu was heartbroken. But just a day later, her mother got a call that she had been given a scholarship to attend Mind Builders.

“Some days to resumption I went to her (Bilikisu’s) bed and tapped her leg and said ‘Biliki, I don’t have money to send you to Mind Builders so let us start our registration now (at the public school)’.

“She was sad until we came back from the school. But when we got home that day her aunty (teacher) called me, ‘Biliki is going to Mind Builders tomorrow’. She was just jumping, happy. The following day was Friday September 10. We were at the school. She was registered and everything was given to her; even the uniform.

“Till I got home I was just praising God and singing. I wished for it but did not think it was possible because she is a Muslim and she is poor. It just by the grace of God,” she said.

The scholarship which covers her tuition, books, activities, transportation, is worth N1,063,125 yearly. The only thing she was required to pay for was her school uniforms.

Principal of Mind Builders High School, Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Olatunbode said Bilikisu scored highest among indigent pupils that took the entrance examination. But her score, 70, was 10 marks short of the scholarship benchmark.

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However she said providence was on Bilikisu’s side and the school’s governing board, chaired by Mr. Tunbosun Falore decided to offer her the scholarship with the proviso that she must reach the 80 percentile to maintain it throughout her secondary education.

Olatunbode said: “At the end of the exams, Bilikisu actually scored 70 percent, which actually is not the cut off for the scholarship. The scholarship mark is 80 per cent and our normal candidates could afford the fees. We already had like four candidates who scored 80 and above. But the scholarship scheme is not meant for the candidates who could pay, but for learners whose parents could not really afford it.

“We now said it will mean that we don’t have any scholarship candidate for this 2021/2022 session. But the Chairman insisted. And it was based on that philanthropic mind of assisting the needy that he said, ‘okay, give it to the child that scored 70. But as soon as she gets here, call the mother; speak with her to encourage her daughter to improve on her academic performance.

“The rule is that, once you come in as a scholarship student, you should be able to maintain your 80 percent. Once you retain that, you get your scholarship till you finish your secondary education.”

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Mrs. Olatunbode said Bilikisu had already improved and achieved over 80 percent last term.

While Bilikisu was the only indigent pupil to benefit from the scholarship this session, Mrs. Olatunbode said the school was willing to offer more. She however lamented the lack of interest by public schools in Ikeja and Magodo environs to allow their primary six pupils participate in the scholarship examination. Only two pupils from Olowora Primary School took the scholarship entrance examination.

“There is one where we actually visited; we wrote a letter that they should bring their pupils to participate in the examination. They told us that except we get a letter from the ministry of education authorizing them to allow their children write the exam that they would not present their pupils. It is a volunteering thing; it is not a compulsion,” she said.

The Nation

Related Topics:grade pupil scholarship School

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Education

Two ex-VCs, JAMB registrar to attend Prof. Ibraheem UNILAG inaugural lecture Wed

Published

1 week ago

December 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Two ex-VCs, JAMB registrar to attend Prof. Ibraheem UNILAG historic inaugural lecture Wed

History beckons as Mass Comm alumnus delivers inaugural lecture Wed

History will be made this week Wednesday December 18, 2024 at University of Lagos when an alumnus of the university’s Mass Communication Department, Ismail Adegboyega Ibrahim, professor of journalism and communication studies, will deliver inaugural lecture as a lecturer of the department.

Ibraheem, a 1990 graduate of the university, returned to the institution in 2011 as a lecturer.

It is the first time a former student of the department will be delivering an inaugural lecture 58 years after its establishment.

Ibraheem, director of International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects at the UNILAG, will speak on “Casino Journalism and the End of History.”

The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, will chair the event, according to a statement from the institution.

Two former vice-chancellors of the university, Professor Rahamon Bello and Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, are expected to grace the lecture along with the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede, among others.

The lecture is scheduled for 4pm at the J.F. Ade. Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG, Akoka.

Members of the University Community and general public are invited to join the lecture physically or virtually via Zoom Meeting ID:862 1255 2361.

Education

Austria offers scholarship grant for int’l postgraduate, research students

Published

2 weeks ago

December 12, 2024

Trends Admin

Austria offers scholarship grant for int’l postgraduate, research students

The Republic of Austria is offering an opportunity for international postgraduate students, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral researchers through the Ernst Mach Scholarship 2025.

Managed by OeAD-GmbH, Austria’s agency for education, this scholarship aims to support talented individuals in advancing their academic and research careers in Austria.

Details of the scholarship program

According to OeAD, the Ernst Mach Scholarship is open to students and researchers from various academic disciplines. This includes areas such as;

Natural sciences
Technical sciences
Human medicine
Health Sciences
Agricultural sciences
Social sciences
Humanities, and arts.

The scholarship provides funding for semester or one-year grants, with research grants lasting from one to nine months, making it accessible to a broad range of applicants.

Benefits of the Ernst Mach scholarship

The scholarship offers numerous benefits to successful applicants.

Recipients will receive a monthly stipend of €1,300 for the duration of their stay in Austria.
Accommodation assistance is available, with affordable housing options ranging from €330 to €800 per month.
OeAD will also provide administrative support to help applicants find suitable housing.

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Grant holders will receive guidance on obtaining health insurance accepted in Austria, with a cost ranging from €55 to €200 per month. The scholarship also waives tuition fees at public universities, further reducing the financial burden on participants.

A travel subsidy of up to €1,200 is available for applicants from eligible developing countries, with travel invoices required for reimbursement. Moreover, recipients will have the opportunity to build valuable connections with top researchers and institutions in Austria, which can significantly enhance their academic and professional networks.

Eligibility criteria for applicants

The Ernst Mach Scholarship is open to early-career academics who are passionate about advancing their research. To be eligible, applicants must be;

Postgraduate students pursuing a PhD outside Austria or postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers looking to conduct research in Austria.
Additionally, postdocs employed at universities outside Austria are also eligible to apply.
Applicants must be 35 years old or younger (born on or after October 1st, 1989) and should not have lived, studied, or worked in Austria for more than six months prior to applying.
Proficiency in English or German is required to ensure effective communication during the research process.

How to apply for the Ernst Mach Scholarship

To apply for the Ernst Mach Scholarship 2025, interested individuals must visit the official OeAD-GmbH website.

The application deadline is February 1st, 2025. Applicants should ensure that they meet the eligibility requirements and submit all required documents before the deadline.

Austria offers scholarship grant for int’l postgraduate, research students

Education

LASU workers declare indefinite strike over salary

Published

2 weeks ago

December 10, 2024

Trends Admin

Lagos State University (LASU)

LASU workers declare indefinite strike over salary

The joint action committee of the academic and non-academic staff of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, on Monday, declared an indefinite strike.

Their demands from the Lagos state government – their employer – include an increase in salary and addressing salary disparities between LASU and other universities in the state.

It also includes payment of 20 percent salary increase as promised by the governor during his election campaign.

Others include payment of 20 per cent and 35 per cent agreement reached between the federal government and university workers.

The unions involved include the LASU chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

Also involved are the LASU Chapters of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

Justice Obafemi, the chairman, NASU-LASU, said that the genesis of the industrial action was the promised 20 per cent salary increase made by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos during his electioneering campaign.

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Mr Obafemi said that after the election, the governor only paid the civil servants at Alausa Secretariat, neglecting the staff of the tertiary institutions.

“They used us, and in spite of our active contributions and efforts we made during the election, they have not fulfilled their promise.

“There is also a disparity in payment of salaries between LASU and the other two state-owned tertiary institutions.

“Even before Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), and Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) transmuted to universities, their staff were earning more than LASU staff,” the NASU chairman said.

Mr Obafemi added that when the administration came on board as new leaders, the unions wrote to the state government to look into the disparities.

“Also, the 20 per cent and 35 per cent agreement reached between the federal government and university workers.

“We set up a committee to look into it and sent all our requests to the government to harmonise salaries of all the academic institutions in the state.

“We had several meetings with the Lagos State Ministry of Tertiary Education and Ministry of Establishment and Training.

“Also, the LASU management tried to step into the matter. The vice-chancellor has pleaded several times, but we cannot continue to sacrifice the welfare of our union members,” Mr Obafemi said.

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Ibrahim Bakare, chairman of ASUU-LASU, said that the unions were more interested in peace, adding that the action was an agitation for staff welfare.

Mr Bakare said that all unions in the institution decided to come together and collaborate to get to where they are today.

“We are being civil and not disrespecting the Senate of the university. We will remain calm for the government to address our demands and call us for a meeting,” he said.

Seyi Lawal, chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU-LASU, said that it had discussed and given the government several ultimatums to address and meet its demands.

Mr Lawal said that the government had been playing games with them, so the unions decided to take action by calling for an indefinite strike.

“We have not even gotten to the stage of payment of minimum wage; we want the government to address these demands first,” he said.

Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile, coordinator, centre for information and public relations, LASU, said in a statement that the institution’s Senate had declared a Christmas and New Year break for the students and staff.

She said that the break started today till Jan. 5, 2025, adding that all university activities, including lectures and socio-academic events, would resume on Jan. 6, 2025.

“All students residing in the university’s hostels across all campuses (Ojo, LASUCOM, Epe and Badagry) are required to vacate the hostels within 48 hours.

“The university management appreciates the support and dedication of staff and students throughout the year and wishes everyone a joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year,” Mr Thomas-Onashile said.