PTDF Selects 528 Candidates For MSc, PhD Scholarship:

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF),yesterday began a 4-day induction course for 583 candidates who emerged successful after the screening process for the 2016/2017 scholarship in Abuja.
Delivering the keynote address at the commencement of the programme, the acting executive secretary, Ahmed Galadima Aminu, congratulated the successful scholars, charging them to take advantage of the four days trainings they will undergo in the hands of the various experts and professionals invited and be the best, even as they proceed to their various schools abroad and at home.

“The expectation is that beneficiaries will fit in directly to the oil and gas industry and/or the academia and hence contribute positively to nation. In the long term, this will help to make Nigeria the hub of oil and gas personnel development for the West African sub-region and the Gulf of Guinnea,” he said.
The acting executive secretary noted that the scheme, which has foreign training tagged ‘Overseas Scholarship Scheme’ as its flagship now has an in-country training programme tagged ‘Local Scholarship Scheme’ added to it since 2007.

Students unrest: Alvan Ikoku College sets up 12-man panel:

The management of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, AIFCE, Owerri, has inaugurated a 12-man committee to critically investigate and ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the recent student’s unrest in the institution.
The panelists were also charged to ascertain the level of damage recorded by the institution, apportion blame where necessary and make recommendations. The institution’s Provost, Dr. Blessing Ijeoma, who disclosed this to journalists on 20^th Of July in Owerri, also said that “management was compelled to inaugurate the committee due to the magnitude of destruction and looting perpetuated by the rampaging students”. Giving a graphic account of what happened, the Provost said: “On Sunday night (17^th July), I received intelligence report that some students were agitated and I called the President of Students’ Union Government, who told me that he was in Gombe for NANS function. “I told him that the students were agitated and sought to know what the problems were. He informed me that it was the issue of not allowing males in female hostels beyond 7pm”, the Provost recounted. While confirming that management had sadly uncovered that some female students were cohabiting with their counterparts in male hostels, the Rector also said it was an intolerable abuse. “When some students started complaining about this ugly development, management decided to enforce the existing policy that no male or female student should be seen n each other’s hostel beyond 7pm”, Ijeoma said. On the alleged hike in fees which the students complained about, the Provost said it was the payment of Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, fee of N3, 000 for National Certificate on Education, NCE and N6,000 for final year Bachelor if Education, B.Ed, respectively. “Theses TRCN fees are not an Alvan issue alone and it involves all Colleges of Education and faculties of educations in universities across Nigeria ”, Ijeoma explained. Continuing, the Provost said that although she assured the SUG President that no student would be prevented from writing the examination due to none payment of the TRCN fee, “it was regrettable that what the students branded a peaceful demonstration snowballed into violent and destructive protest”. Her words: “Many official cars parked within the school compound were destroyed. The window and door glasses of my office and other offices were destroyed. The protesting students even broke into the Information Communication Technology, ICT, office, departmental offices, and faculties, and carted away computer sets and other valuables’. “It was in the light of the huge damages that the management resolved to shut the school down and thereafter set up a committee to take stock of the damages before fixing a date to reopen the school”, Ijeoma said.