AT its 63rd convocation ceremony in November 2011, the University of Ibadanoffered scholarships to 75 of its 1,647 graduating students. The graduates being offered scholarship made First Class. According to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Adewole, the scholarships will enable the beneficiaries to pursue postgraduate programmes of their choice in the university.THE availability of scholarship is a major feature of the university system worldwide, but not many universities are willing or able to give scholarships in Nigeria. It is unfortunate that very few universities consider the provision of scholarships as priority in the face of competing demands on the meagre funds of the universities.AN award of financial aid for a student to further his/her education has become increasingly necessary in Nigeria today, because of growing inequality. The number of qualified candidates who are unable to pay for university education has increased at a rate dictated by the increase in the number of households below the poverty line. Scholarships are, therefore, necessary for gifted but indigent students to access university education. This is very important not only to increase the life opportunities of beneficiaries but also to ensure that the nation benefits from the natural endowment available to its citizens, the distribution of creativity and natural aptitudes not being confined to the rich.SCHOLARSHIPS are often given on the basis of academic and personal achievement. Such scholarship may give full-ride through the university, or at least, reduce the financial burden by covering tuition. In general, such scholarships are based on need and abilities, while applicant's extracurricular activities and community service record are taken into consideration as part of the criteria for the award of scholarship. A student's and his/her family's financial record are particularly important for scholarships designed to help indigent but gifted candidates. In many countries, there are established formulas for calculating a student's financial need. Such formulas take into account the expected family contribution and cost of attendance at the intended higher institution.WHILE some scholarships are awarded on the basis of outstanding performance in standardised tests, there are several other criteria for the award of scholarships. Many foundations and other charities, mostly abroad, give scholarships on the values and purposes the donor or founder wants to promote. Some scholarships are based on gender, race, religion, family and medical history, or many other student-specific factors such as disabilities. Minority scholarships are the most common awards in this category.THERE are also career-specific scholarships awarded to students pursuing careers in high-need areas. In this wise, scholarships are awarded to encourage students to specialise in specific skills areas where the country is short of expertise. Some scholarships have a 'bond' requirement. Recipients may be required to work for a particular employer for a specified period of time or to work in rural or remote areas; otherwise they may be required to repay the value of the support they received from the scholarship. This is particularly the case with education and medical scholarships for people prepared to work in rural and remote areas.IN Nigeria today, school fees have skyrocketed. The upward review of fees has become a common feature of universities nationwide. This has led to a series of crisis as students resist such increment through public demonstrations and disruption of academic activities. Some universities like the Lagos State University (LASU) have had to be shut down on account of the conflicts over higher fees. In the private universities, the fees are beyond the reach of an average Nigerian working class parent. Indeed, very few members of the middle class are able to effectively afford the fees. While there is no systematic data on the attrition rate of students in private universities due to inability to pay fees, there is sufficient evidence that it is a common feature of the private universities. These universities offer few scholarships where they are available. Although promises of scholarships have been made in most government higher institutions where higher fees are being introduced, few students trust the commitment of the governments to such promises. This is understandable in a situation where universities have no established traditions of providing scholarship. Indeed, the tradition of awarding scholarship needs to be established in Nigerian higher education system, not only for undergraduate studies, but also and more importantly, for postgraduate and research activities. The capacity to manage scholarships also needs to be enhanced. This will prove to be very challenging in a context where everything is either politicised or where corruption is rife as in Nigeria.WHILE we commend the University of Ibadan for the laudable move, we challenge the authorities of the institution to further explore new ways to expand the programme beyond making it a feature of convocation ceremonies into a routine aspect of academic life, as some institutions abroad are already doing. We also challenge other institutions of higher learning to emulate this laudable example. We remind the Federal Government that scholarships should not be confined to the amnesty programme in the Niger Delta. The governments must use scholarship awards to encourage or reward hard work and make up for the skill deficiencies that may stand in the way of transforming the economy in line with Vision 20:2020.
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