The Academic Staff Union of Universities has announced the disbursement of the 2024 scholarship to 164 indigent students selected from branches of the union across the country.
This was disclosed by the Convener of ASUU Grant, Research and Publications Committee, Professor Christopher Piwuna on Saturday during a press conference at the Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, Bauchi State.
Piwuna explained that of the 79 ASUU branches, two successful applicants were selected in every university through a rigorous screening process.
He said each recipient of the scholarship went home with a non-refundable cash-backing of N200,000.
The Convener, who was represented by the former Coordinator ASUU Bauchi-Zone, Lawan Abubakar, said gender balance was reflected in the selection of the beneficiaries.
He disclosed that physically challenged beneficiaries were selected to support them to access tertiary education.
“Over the last two years, ASUU spent about N164, 800,000 on scholarships for indigent students in universities across the country.
“Our Union has been managing the Gani Fawehinmi scholarship for years, we decided to not only organise that of Chief Gani but institute our own.
“This creation was also shaped by the government’s unrelenting attacks on students and their parents through ‘school charges.’
“When we argued that NELFUND scholarship should be a grant, we meant it because we are not asking any parent or beneficiary of our indigent support to repay at a later day,” Piwuna said.
Drum Africa gathered that to qualify for this scholarship, interested applicants need to prove their indigent economic status and an excellent Cumulative Grade Average Point to the union.
