Vera Wisdom-Bassey
No few than 21 girls from different primary schools in Misau, Bauchi State, have been awarded scholarships to study engineering courses in the university of their choice.
The lucky pupils are Aishatu Abdullahi Zadawa of Central Primary School, Hauwawu Shaibu Hardawa of Central Primary School, Fatima Ibrahim Akuyam of Central Primary School, Maimunata Makima Tudun Wada from Central Primary School, Hafsat Moho Rabiu Tudun Wada of Central Primary School, Zainab Hassan Sarki Amadu from Central Primary School, Aishatu Yusuf Sarki Amadu of Central Primary School, Fatima Ismail Sarki Amadu from Central Primary School, Hassan Baba Sarki Amadu of Central Primary School, Khadua Ruau Rufa Iquaers of Ummi Abdullahi Sabongari Primary School, Amina Ibrahim of Sabongari Primary School, Habbibah Saleh from Sirko Primary School, Kltheme Abubakar from Hardawa Central Primary School, Hauwa Adamu of Hardawa Central Primary School, Amina Abdullahi from Gwani Muktar Primary School, Rakiya Sulaiman of Zadawa Central Primary School, Asma’u Yahaya from Mangas Primary School, Hauwa Ibrahim of Mangai Primary School, Rukayya Adamu from Mangai Primary School, Humada Abdukadir of Fawani Primary School. The schools are all within Misau in the state.
The awards were presented to the pupils by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
President of APWEN, Felicia Agubata, who spoke at the award ceremony while presenting cheques to the girls, explained that the awardees were selected after performing excellently in an experiment conducted by the association. She said the lucky pupils would enjoy the scholarship from Senior Secondary School (SS1) to university level.
“A total of 21 pupils who participated in the experiment were all selected for the scholarship. However only ten school girls will continue to enjoy the scholarship from SS1 up to the university level with the desire to study engineering courses,’’ she stated.
Agubata said the scholarship award, which came under the theme, “Invent it, Build It’’ was part of APWEN ’s mission to promote the study of science by young girls so as to increase the number of female students opting for STEM subjects which will in turn lead to their interest in engineering profession.
The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru who also spoke at the event, lauded the awardees, adding that the scholarship would encourage and motivate the girls in the study and pursuit of a career in the field of STEM.
Emphasizing the importance of STEM related courses in the development of any nation, Baru said: “It is a documented fact that no nation has become powerful and developed without the development of STEM’’.
Therefore, he advised the girls to study hard, adding “The study of STEM requires being diligent and having an eye for details. It requires you to possess the ability for multi –task which the female folk are known for.’’
Baru assured the winners that if they take their education serious from primary school to secondary and get a degree in engineering from the university that NNPC may consider them for employment.
Some of the awardees who spoke at the event lauded APWEN, stating that the scholarship award will not only enable them achieve their desired goal but also remove the burden of school fees payment by their parents and guardians.
The pupils also promised to study harder so as to come out with good results in their secondary education and at the university level.