The First Class graduates, shortlisted for the Presidential Special Scholarship for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) Scheme, on Monday, 9 December, 2013, sat for a computer-based aptitude test conducted by the Implementation Committee on the scheme, at Chams City, Abuja, to select best brains for sponsorship to study at the top 25 universities of the world. It would be recalled that a similar test for candidates took place last year, after which a total of 101 graduates were selected and sponsored to the top 25 universities in the world, where they are currently pursuing postgraduate studies in specific fields.

While on a monitoring visit to the venue of the test, the Chairman, Implementation Committee on PRESSID and Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A. Okojie, OON, said that the exercise was meant to select the best among the best and to ensure that the selected candidates met the minimum requirements for the scheme initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR. He explained that no fewer than 2,000 candidates applied for selected programmes in Engineering, Technology, Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, Medicine and Economics, among other emerging fields where the country was experiencing shortfalls. Out of this, about 629 were shortlisted for the test.

Professor Okojie explained that the essence of the scheme was to train the critical mass of professionals required to drive the Transformation Agenda of the present administration and the goals of the Vision 20:2020. The plan, he added, was that the candidates, upon graduation, would return to Nigeria, to work for the Government for 5 years before taking up any other appointment. The aim was to ensure that they graduated a set of students in their various fields, thereby developing the tertiary education system.

The Executive Secretary, while explaining the selection criteria, disclosed that the test was for graduates with First Class honours, between 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic sessions, who were below 30 years, possessed basic requirements of Senior Secondary School Certificates, local government identification, Bachelor’s degree certificates and had completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. He stressed that the exercise was purely based on merit and not quota system, saying that only those who met the criteria were shortlisted.

The PRESSID committee comprises representatives of the NUC, Federal Ministry of Education, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Federal Scholarship Board, as well as some Professors with First Class honours from across the country. Others in the NUC delegation were the Deputy Executive Secretary, Mr. Akinbode Agbaoye; Director, Quality Assurance, Professor Chiedu Mafiana; Deputy Director, Protocol, Mr. Chris Maiyaki and Deputy Director,ICT Projects, Dr. Joshua Atah.