Nigeria: FG awards scholarships to 3 winners of Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award

BusinessTodayNGJanuary 14, 20192 Mins read57

As part of efforts to promote the study of science and technology , the Federal Government has awarded full scholarship up to doctorate level in any science based course of choice to three winners of the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award.

President Muhammadu Buhari announced this on Monday in Enugu in a message to the Technology and Innovation Expo 2019.

Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha said the winners of the competition would be trained in any Nigerian university.

The president said that the move was part of efforts by the Federal Government to encourage the growth of science and technology in the country.

He said that the future of the country depended on the youths, adding that the government would continue to support human development in any means possible.

The president said that he was convinced that the country needed the application of science and technology to be prosperous as well as improve the security of the country.

Buhari expressed optimism that “working together we shall build a successful and prosperous country”.

In a keynote address, the Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu said that the awareness of Nigerians on the importance of science, technology and innovation to nation building had grown.

Onu said that the ministry in the last three years had encouraged the study of science and technology in Nigerian schools.

“We visit schools and our traditional rulers as a way to encourage our young ones, particularly girls, to show interest in the study of science and mathematics in school.

“The ministry in 2017 commenced the process of identifying bright young Nigerians at the secondary school level in a programme tagged’ 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award.

“It is a grassroots mobilization programme of young Nigerians in all 774 local government areas of the country,” he said.

The minister said that the presentation of the awards to the winners would mark the third edition of the programme aimed at identifying the best promising young scientist in each local government area.

“In the just concluded national final examination of the programme, three winners will be receiving their awards today,” he said.

The minister said that the student that took the first, second and third positions would be given N1 million, N750, 000, and N500, 000 respectively while participating schools in the 3^rd edition would received science kits.

“The training of science teachers on the use of the science kits will be done during this expo.

“This, we hope, will further strengthen the teaching and learning of Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education,” Onu said.