The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has directed the state Ministry of Education and Scholarship Board to ensure that all higher institutions in the state, whether public or private, enjoy the scholarship and bursary scheme provided by the state government.
Uduaghan, who gave the directive when the Chancellor and management of Novena University, Ogume, paid him a courtesy call in Asaba, said the scholarship and bursary programmes were not restricted to institutions owned by the state government alone.
He said the bursary and scholarship awards were open to students of Delta State origin in both public and privately owned institutions of higher learning.
Uduaghan therefore said there should be no discrimination of any kind as the scholarship programme was for first class students.
He said: ‘’I am surprised to hear that students of private institutions were not benefiting from the bursary and scholarship programmes.
“The programmes are for all students of Delta State origin in higher institutions whether owned by government or private individuals.”
The governor, who commended the management of Novena University for the enormous responsibilities it was shouldering, announced the grant of N100 million to the university to accelerate infrastructure development in the private institution.
He said the challenges involved in building a university were heavy and enjoined the institution to utilise the grant in building more infrastructure.
Uduaghan also announced that the Direct Labour Agency would start the rehabilitation of the Ogume-Kwale Road as well as the Ogume-Abbi Road to improve movement to the university.
He also commended the chancellor and management of the institution for reducing admission problems and contributing towards academic excellence in the state.
The Chancellor of Novena University, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, commended Uduaghan for the infrastructure and economic development of the state.
King Diete-Spiff said private institutions have the potential to impact on the development of education in the state and announced that Novena University would soon start running programmes in Marine, Medicine and Law.
He also said that since the establishment of the institution, admission challenges have been addressed and drastically reduced in the state and appealed to the governor to extend water, electricity and motorable roads to the institution.
King Diete-Spiff disclosed that Novena University was the first private government approved higher institution in the state and stressed the need for the state government to accommodate students of the university in the bursary and scholarship scheme of the state government.
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