The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday awarded scholarships to two students from Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, each receiving N200,000.
On Thursday, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) awarded scholarships to two students from Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, each receiving N200,000.
The recipients, Ms. Onwe Emmanuella C. and Chukwuemeka Ogar P., are final-year Medicine and Surgery students at the university.
During the cheque presentation in Abakaliki, ASUU Chairman of the Ebonyi State University chapter, Dr. Okechukwu Igwenyi, explained that the students were selected based on stringent but transparent criteria.
Dr. Igwenyi refuted claims that ASUU is solely focused on strikes and industrial actions, stating, “We aim to show the public that besides advocating for better funding and university autonomy, we also support students by providing annual scholarships to deserving students from public universities across Nigeria.”
He highlighted the challenges posed by rising education costs, making it increasingly unaffordable for average Nigerians. He pointed out that the high cost of school fees, meals, and other expenses has forced some students into desperate measures to continue their education.
Dr. Igwenyi expressed concern over the harsh economic conditions that cause many diligent and intelligent students to drop out due to poverty and frustration. He lamented the poor state of student welfare, security, and the unpredictable national economy, which drives some students to seek alternative income sources to cover their fees and basic needs.
He also mentioned that many students are unfamiliar with bursaries and scholarships available to them, underscoring the importance of the ASUU scholarship scheme. This program, which has been running for years, includes research support grants of up to N500,000 for selected ASUU members in public universities. Three members have benefited from this scheme so far.
Dr. Igwenyi noted that ASUU’s scholarship scheme, funded through check-off deductions, has consistently supported indigent students across Nigeria. ASUU-EBSU has successfully nominated students for these scholarships in recent years.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Onwe Emmanuella, expressed her joy upon learning she was selected, stating the N200,000 would help her pay off outstanding school fees. She said, “I feel elevated and happy that the screening yielded positive results. This scholarship will enable me to clear my overdue fees and cover other courses I need to register for.”
The second recipient, Ogar Peter, was equally emotional and grateful to ASUU-EBSU. He said the grant would significantly help meet his basic needs at school.
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