₦airaland Forum

The Rivers government has informed parents and guardians of students currently benefiting from the state government funded scholarship program in various universities across the world, that resources are no longer available to continue with the sponsorship abroad. As a result, the Rivers government will no longer pay the tuition and allowances of the scholars and has consequently advised all of them to return home.

The executive director/CEO of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Lawrence Pepple, said the only exceptions to the directive are those students in their final year ending 2016.

“All others will need to return to Nigeria to continue their studies; the government will continue to fully sponsor them. This way all the students will still achieve the desired objective of successful graduation in your chosen field of study,” the letter read.

The Overseas scholarship program which is administered by the RSSDA has been running since the 2008/2009 academic session and had a target of sending 300 students overseas annually. The state government foots the entire bill of the scholars including the airfare, tuition (school fees, laboratory, books), accommodation, feeding and monthly upkeep. However a shortage of funds in the last three years saw a situation where the students were abandoned and left to fend for themselves as the former Gov. Rotimi Amaechi led administration owed them for several months at a time.

When Gov. Nyesom Wike was sworn in last May, he vowed that despite the shortage of funds, he will ensure that those already abroad get to successfully complete their studies even though new scholarships won’t be awarded. The governor has however failed to keep to his word, as he now says continual funding for the Overseas Scholarship Program is ”no longer tenable.”

In the letter, Lawrence Pepple disclosed that returning students will be offered admission in the state owned University of Science and Technology or the FG owned University of Port Harcourt, unless “your course of study is not available in either of these institutions, then admission will be sought in any government owned institution in Nigeria that offers your course.”

The students will however be transferred to the same level in Nigeria as they currently are abroad. At the moment, there are students on RSSDA scholarships in Canada, the UK, Ireland, India, Singapore and Malaysia.

The RSSDA CEO apologised over the fact that allowances and entitlements of the students have not been paid for several months. He stated that fixing that situation is “paramount on our agenda.”

“Unfortunate as the situation is, we thank God for the opportunity to still continue and complete your studies and the magnanimity of His Excellency, the Executive Governor for his vision to find a positive way out of the tight financial situation,” he said.

Source: http://www.trezzyblog.com/2016/02/rivers-govt-withdraws-students-on.html

Well Gov Wike is just being sincere and truthful to his people. There's no fund to cater for them any longer after all the state money have been looted all in the name of "CHANGE" that will NEVER come to pass. I'm still glad he will finance their education here in Nigeria. I wish the students best of luck in their endeavors

Logical decision it appears.

support naija to grow naira. Better than nothing

This is one of the reasons I don't like all this government sponsored scheme. You can be bleeped anytime

Jesus Christ!!!! Not even Uniport sef..RSUST

In RSUST all those 300L students can expect to graduate in 2022..

No jobs for them whenever they return anyways...mark my word, they can never return complete in number. Impossicant!

Wike's action is a textbook case of short-term thinking in action. Does he really think RSUST is comparable in any way with the institutions these students are currently attending? What kind of "leader" prefers to save a few dollars right now instead of seeing such clever young people as an investment in the future? We praise the likes of Okonjo-Iweala, but would she have been able to get where she did without being able to study at places like Harvard and MIT?

I can understand phasing the program out while letting the current beneficiaries complete their studies, but there is just no excuse for cutting them all off just like that: at the least tell them they can do 2 years more but most find funding elsewhere after that. I don't buy the budget excuse either, as even with the low oil prices, there's just no way that the Rivers State government would be unable to fund a few graduate students abroad.

the zombies are already spewing rubbish, but half bread is better than none.

Great decision...the only decision that has made sense since independence

omohayek:
Wike's action is a textbook case of short-term thinking in action. Does he really think RSUST is comparable in any way with the institutions these students are currently attending? What kind of "leader" prefers to save a few dollars right now instead of seeing such clever young people as an investment in the future? We praise the likes of Okonjo-Iweala, but would she have been able to get where she did without being able to study at places like Harvard and MIT?

I can understand phasing the program out while letting the current beneficiaries complete their studies, but there is just no excuse for cutting them all off just like that: at the least tell them they can do 2 years more but most find funding elsewhere after that. I don't buy the budget excuse either, as even with the low oil prices, there's just no way that the Rivers State government would be unable to fund a few graduate students abroad.

u have nothing 2 say

swagaholic:
u have nothing 2 say

Wouldn't that be better directed at yourself? It's not like you added anything to the conversation with your comment ...

As long as d state govt will still pay their school fees in nigeria,i say that d governor's action are in order,times are really hard

Many of them will not return. They will take up part time jobs to settle their finances.

Na dis kain news truckpusher de like.


Truckpusher, move this thread to fp.

omohayek:
Wike's action is a textbook case of short-term thinking in action. Does he really think RSUST is comparable in any way with the institutions these students are currently attending? What kind of "leader" prefers to save a few dollars right now instead of seeing such clever young people as an investment in the future? We praise the likes of Okonjo-Iweala, but would she have been able to get where she did without being able to study at places like Harvard and MIT?

I can understand phasing the program out while letting the current beneficiaries complete their studies, but there is just no excuse for cutting them all off just like that: at the least tell them they can do 2 years more but most find funding elsewhere after that. I don't buy the budget excuse either, as even with the low oil prices, there's just no way that the Rivers State government would be unable to fund a few graduate students abroad.

u are obviously a child, u know nothing, the scheme has been on since 2008, all the graduates that have been produced all these while what significant difference have they Made? Is it any different from same input Nigerian graduates are making Here? It's best time we start appreciating and patronising our own..... If the courses they are been sent to offer abroad are high tech course Nigeria can't offer it becomes a different case...

Child, when adults are conversing, just keep quiet, listen , that way you will learn more...

Wike has never been my favourite, I worked against him and voted against him in the past election, but I must say, this action of his is very much in order and nationalistic.... He should carry on.... nice one sire, well done...

Nice one
We dey use our money develop other countries but leave our own

omohayek:
Wike's action is a textbook case of short-term thinking in action. Does he really think RSUST is comparable in any way with the institutions these students are currently attending? What kind of "leader" prefers to save a few dollars right now instead of seeing such clever young people as an investment in the future? We praise the likes of Okonjo-Iweala, but would she have been able to get where she did without being able to study at places like Harvard and MIT?

I can understand phasing the program out while letting the current beneficiaries complete their studies, but there is just no excuse for cutting them all off just like that: at the least tell them they can do 2 years more but most find funding elsewhere after that. I don't buy the budget excuse either, as even with the low oil prices, there's just no way that the Rivers State government would be unable to fund a few graduate students abroad.

how many of those guys come back to work in Nigeria?
I have 2 friends that were gainfully employed here in Nigeria and then got PTDF scholarships to study in UK. They have not stepped foot back into this country since they finished about 5 years ago

if. na my be those students I rather die dia than to return home come dey sukpan for here. Even if na cleaner I rather do am to complete the fees rather than come this country wey politicians don scatter finish.

This is a clear definition of Reggae Blues.

he don win na, after much support this is the end result of the support u gave him during his court case.

But let me be honest to you, if all states can adopt this gesture of scholarship mostly in the north by patronising our home schools it will be applauded.

but go to North if not Kwankwaso who started it and ends it after his tenure nobody I mean non of the their elites want them to finish their primary education self.

thunder that will visit those Northern elites is still crawling.


am from there

The government can stop the program but whoever is on scholarship should be allowed to finish their program.

I hope there is a clause in the agreement between these students and Rivers State that they must return to work in Rivers. Otherwise it's just brain drain and pretty daft of the prior administration

It is now left for the students there to source for their funding if they do not want to come back to continue. Family and friends should help out while they also look out for how to supplement help from home with some jobs/businesses in their host countries if the law allows them to.

I smell the bad belle of underachievers on this thread.

uzokasi1964:
As long as d state govt will still pay their school fees in nigeria,i say that d governor's action are in order,times are really hard

would you have said this if it was BUHARI?

Pavore9:
It is now left for the students there to source for their funding if they do not want to come back to continue. Family and friends should help out while they also look out for how to supplement help from home with some jobs/businesses in their host countries if the law allows them to.

again, would you have said this if it happened in Amaechi's name?

braimeddy:
Well Gov Wike is just being sincere and truthful to his people. There's no fund to cater for them any longer after all the state money have been looted all in the name of "CHANGE" that will NEVER come to pass. I'm still glad he will finance their education here in Nigeria. I wish the students best of luck in their endeavors

You are blaming "CHANGE" team in Rivers but if the "CHANGE" team blame GEJ you will cry foul, by calling them names.

Caseless:
would you have said this if it was BUHARI?

On his behalf, he won't said that but rather he will blame Buhari from A-Z so many hypocrite

omohayek:
Wike's action is a textbook case of short-term thinking in action. Does he really think RSUST is comparable in any way with the institutions these students are currently attending? What kind of "leader" prefers to save a few dollars right now instead of seeing such clever young people as an investment in the future? We praise the likes of Okonjo-Iweala, but would she have been able to get where she did without being able to study at places like Harvard and MIT?

I can understand phasing the program out while letting the current beneficiaries complete their studies, but there is just no excuse for cutting them all off just like that: at the least tell them they can do 2 years more but most find funding elsewhere after that. I don't buy the budget excuse either, as even with the low oil prices, there's just no way that the Rivers State government would be unable to fund a few graduate students abroad.

if only all the money used to sponsor those students from 2008/2009 till date was invested in RSUST!! the university would have been better if not of world standard by now!!

dridowu:
On his behalf, he won't said that but rather he will blame Buhari from A-Z so many hypocrite

I just can't understand what is wrong with those kids; they throw commonsense into the air in exchange for senselessness.

Although I'm neither his or PDP fan, I gully support this.
Kudos!!!

Rubbish,
His reason Rubbish.

He us never interested in their education. it was just a mirage campaign promise used by PDP.

Wike is only interested in deceiving Rivers people. what is RSUT, are there no better Universities in Nigeria? Do you know the rigorous process that led to their selection?

Infact Rubbish