DSP Barau Distributes Foreign Scholarship Postgraduate Admission Letters to 70 Beneficiaries in Kano
By Bala Salihu Dawakin kudu On Sep 9, 2024
As parts of his contributions to the education empowerment of the youths of Kano State in the northwest Nigeria, Seventy beneficiaries of the Barau I. Jibrin Foundation (BIJF) postgraduate foreign scholarships on Monday received their letters of admission getting set to embark on their educational journey in foreign countries.
The Democracy Newsline reports that the foundation secured admission for students to study in critical and relevant courses like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Robotics Technology, and Cyber Security and Forensic Science in India, United States and Canada among other countries respectively.
Speaking at the event held in Kano, the Deputy Senate President, and promoter of the Foundation, Senator Barau I. Jibrin said the postgraduate scholarship programs is for two years, noting that the beneficiaries are not bonded with the gesture.
Barau said the beneficiaries were selected across the three Senatorial districts of the state, stressing that the selection process was very transparent as he as a person does not know any of the successful students and the same goes with the committee members.
‘’The successful beneficiaries of this scholarship are not affiliated to any political parties as they were selected on merit.
The lawmaker said his decision to embark on the initiative was informed by his desire to contribute to the educational development of the beneficiaries, Kano State and Nigeria.
“I embarked on this initiative having realised the fact that education is a very valuable tool for both human and societal development.
“The process for the selection of these beneficiaries was seamless and purely based on merit, for I don’t know any of them personally,” he said.
According to the Deputy Senate President, the exercise is a continuous one, as more qualified candidates will be considered in due course for the award of the foreign scholarship
He urged the students to study hard so as to succeed in their studies and be good ambassadors of the Barau Jibrin Foundation, Kano State and Nigeria.
On completion of their studies, Barau said the beneficiaries could choose to work anywhere in the world, including their home country, Nigeria.
In a remark, the former Vice Chancellor, Bayero University Kano, Prof. Yahuza Bello said the postgraduate scholarship is unique considering the courses the students would undergo that are very marketable.
Bello emphasised that human capacity development is more beneficial to people and society than physical development.
He extolled the commitment and virtue of the foundation promoter, Barau Jibrin who accords education development a top priority.
Yahuza Bello noted that the foundation of knowledge economy is what the Deputy Senate President is building just like what is obtained in India with such a huge investment in educational development.
On his part, the Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, represented by State Minister for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu applauded Barau Jibrin over the scholarship, emphasising that the gap in the provision of qualitative education needed to be bridge by philanthropists as the government cannot do it alone.
‘’’The effort of the Deputy Senate President with support to education is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to education with the provision of student loans, and review of basic educational school curriculums to meet the present demands.
