Over 3000 Candidates Sat For NDDC Foreign Scholarship Test
The Niger Delta Development Commission has begun a selection process for its foreign scholarship scheme with the conduct of a computer-based aptitude test. At least, 3,000 graduates, drawn from nine states of the Niger Delta region, took part in the computer test, which was held on Monday, at the ICT Centre of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
Giving details of the foreign scholarship scheme in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the Deputy Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. Solomon Ita, said 4,000 candidates applied online for the scheme.
Ita disclosed that out of the number, 3,000 were invited for the aptitude test, explaining that 2,000 successful candidates would be invited for oral interview before the final selection would be made.
He added that the NDDC foreign scholarship scheme, which started four years ago, had so far sponsored 1,021 graduates for Masters and Doctorate degrees in Engineering and Sciences, including Medicine, in the best universities across the world.
“We have ensured that the selection process is as transparent as possible to give all qualified candidates a fair chance to compete.
“From the online application to the computer test, the candidates are given the opportunity to be part of the process. At the end of the computer test, each candidate sees his or her result before signing out,” he stated.
He pointed out that emphasis was placed on science disciplines because of a noticeable deficiency in this area in the oil industry, which made it difficult for firms to employ young graduates from the region in the sector.
“You know we have a lot of gaps in our oil and gas sector and these (science disciplines) are what we desire in the Niger Delta region. Before now, the oil and gas industry had discriminated against fresh graduates from the region for not possessing the requisite qualifications.
“We also need to encourage our youths to show interest in engineering for the sake of our projects. We need qualified engineers that can manage our projects just as in agriculture, environmental science and other science related courses,” Ita added.
A representative of the NDDC’s consultant on the scholarship scheme, Mr. Nnamdi Munonye, said there was no room for cheating in the computer-based aptitude test.
