The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) branch, on Tuesday, awarded scholarships to seven indigent students of the university to assist them achieve their academic potential.
Chairperson of the ASUU-ATBU Bauchi branch, Dr. Angulu Haruna, said that the gesture was necessitated by the union’s sensitivity to the hardships and economic challenges learners face while aspiring to greatness.
According to him, the National Leadership of the Union awarded two scholarships while the branch added five. Haruna said that the scholarship is an annual gesture from the Union as part of its contributions to the student’s educational pursuit.
Two of the students (Tahir Suleiman of Petroleum Engineering and Christiana Thomas Haruna of Industrial Design) were given N200,000 each by the National Leadership of the Union.
The five beneficiaries from ASUU-ATBU are: Musfaru Usman Abdulkarim (Civil Engineering), Rahmatu Ahmad Musa (Environmental Management Technology), Abdulaziz Isah (Statistics), Ayuba Abdullhamid (Computer Science), and Hassan Nenchi Elisha (Construction Technology Education), who each received N100,000 to help cover their school fees.
The Convener for the selection process, Prof. Usman Aliyu Jalam, stated that one of the key selection criteria is a 3.0 CGPA, as well as the economic status of the learners. “We have our programme coordinators and heads of department who identified their students based on the requirements, and we also embarked on background checks,” he said.
The Branch Chairperson, Haruna, urged the government to provide education grants rather than student loans, stating that many students would still struggle to pay after completing their education.
“Developed countries that have done it have realised that it wasn’t helping. We have never supported the student loan; we have made it clear that the students deserve a grant and not a loan,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Christiana Thomas Haruna, who spoke on behalf of the others, commended the Union for its timely intervention in rescuing some of the students who were on the verge of giving up. “We appreciate you and pray that the Lord continues to bless you and replenish the source. We promise to recommit to our study and make you proud.”
