About 1000 students from the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State and other parts of Ijaw have been named as beneficiaries of the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation 2023/2024 Education Support Scheme.
This is in continuation of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson’s investment in education and human capacity development, generally, over the years.
The 2023 beneficiaries of the Scheme comprised 300 undergraduates from Bayelsa West Senatorial District; 300 undergraduates of Bayelsa State origin from all the universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in the State, who are on first class or second-class upper standing, the high fliers and others the committee deemed eligible.
Other beneficiaries were students in Master’s degree programmes who got N50,000 each while PhD candidates, and 80 Nigerian Law School students from Bayelsa State’s three Senatorial Districts received N100,000 each.
A twenty-two-member committee chaired by Professor Barclays Ayakoroma, acting Vice Chancellor University of Africa, Toru-Orua, and which included Professor Tawari Fufeyin, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Hensard University, Toru-Orua, as Co-Chairperson, Professor Christine Odi, former deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Niger Delta University, Vice-Chairperson, and Dr. Akpoebi Adesi, Registrar, University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Secretary, screened thousands of applications that were received.
Other awardees included secondary school students who got special considerations. Jayland Royal Schools, Toru-Orua, a childhood educational centre, in the community, whose standards, Senator Dickson said impressed him, would get support for the development of its facilities.
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, who represented Governor Douye Diri, spoke glowingly of the innovative contributions in education that Senator Dickson made as governor of Bayelsa and tasked the students to make the best use of the opportunities education offers.
The Royal Father of the Day was HRM King Seiyifa Koroye, Pere of Tarakiri Kingdom while High Chief Fidelis Agbiki was the chairman.
Senator Dickson challenged the recipients to embrace education for self-development and as the best form of empowerment for it is capable of transforming families through generations.
He promised more grants and scholarships in agriculture, technology and film-making, areas he said were at the fore-front of development, stressing that individuals and corporate organisations should support the educational programmes of the Foundation.
Senator Dickson seized the opportunity to announce the commencement of Hensard University, which is located at a shouting distance from the venue of the event.
The university, he said, would lead cutting-edge learning, research and practical impacting of skills through its international linkages and collaborations to produce entrepreneurs and wealth creators.
