By Nurat Uthman
As 72 Nigerians who have been awarded Hungarian scholarships prepare to depart the country on tomorrow and Saturday, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, has urged them to represent the country well with their behavior.
It should be noted that these 72 Nigerians recently obtained scholarships from the federal government to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Hungary as part of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) aimed at developing Nigeria’s workforce.
During a pre-departure briefing ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, the minister emphasized the importance of the scholarship recipients maintaining the good qualities they have acquired during their time in Nigeria. He also encouraged them to be open to learning new things as they embark on this new phase of their lives.
Furthermore, the minister appealed to the scholarship recipients to return to Nigeria after completing their programs and contribute to making the country a better place through their skills and knowledge.
The minister highlighted that scholarships are a reward for excellence and an opportunity for talented Nigerians who cannot afford to study abroad.
He mentioned that the scholarship program was revitalized in 1999 to strengthen the Bilateral Education Agreement with development partners.
Despite the global economic challenges, the minister expressed gratitude that many countries, including Hungary, China, Algeria, Romania, Morocco, Serbia, Mexico, Egypt, and others, continue to offer scholarships to Nigerians. He also mentioned that Nigeria reciprocates by offering scholarships to China and Romania, and plans to extend this gesture to other interested countries.
The minister concluded by acknowledging the achievements of the scholarship recipients and urged their parents to support them with prayers and guidance.
“I want to enjoin the parents of the awardees to always uphold them in prayers and encourage them with sound advice at all times so as to make you and Nigeria proud by being worthy ambassadors.”
