As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2024 International Students’ Day, the Presidency and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, have pledged that this year’s event is to celebrate the invaluable contributions of Nigerian students to national development.
With the theme: “Celebrating Academic Excellence for Sustainable Development,” the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, Asefon Sunday, described “education as a best legacy,” and promised that this year’s International Students’ Day celebration would focus essentially on academic excellence for sustainable development.
Asefon, in a statement issued yesterday, also noted that this year’s theme, as adopted by the office, underscores the vital role education plays in shaping a prosperous and sustainable future.
While commending President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its unwavering commitment to education and youth development, the SSA stated that the President has demonstrated this commitment through several groundbreaking achievements in the education sector.
These, he stated, include the establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, which is providing financial support to deserving students to ensure access to quality education; and the removal of tertiary institutions’ staff salaries from the IPPIS so as to allow for a more efficient and autonomous payroll system, as well as to end the incessant industrial action by staff unions in the system.
Again, the reversal of the 30 per cent deduction from institutions’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), will ensure that the institutions have more resources to invest in academic and infrastructural development.
Asefon also noted that the approval of CNG-powered buses for distribution to national students’ bodies by the Federal Government will reduce and cushion the impacts of transportation challenges facing Nigerian students, and support environmentally-friendly initiatives.
As part of activities lined up to further celebrate excellence in education, Asefon said that awards and recognitions had already been approved for this year’s celebration through his office in collaboration with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund PTDF, National information Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), Zenith Bank, Brisco, among others.
According to the statement, the awards and recognition would be announced tomorrow (November 20, 2024) during the International Students’ Day celebration at the Merit House, Maitama, Abuja.
According to Asefon, the best graduating tertiary institution students from each geo-political zone of the federation would be honoured with postgraduate scholarship awards and cash prizes.
Similarly, he noted that various cash prizes would be awarded to the best students in the 2022/2023 Law School, Abuja; 2024 Common Entrance Examination; Junior WAEC, NECO, and JAMB, even as he highlighted the importance of academic excellence at all levels.
These initiatives, according to him, are testament to the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Tinubu and his steadfast dedication to recognise and reward academic achievements.
“However, we implore all Nigerian students to remain diligent, resilient, and committed to their studies, as this administration is determined to celebrate and empower the leaders of tomorrow.
“On behalf of the Federal Government, we congratulate all Nigerian students on this year’s International Students’ Day. Your brilliance and determination are shaping a brighter future for Nigeria, and we stand firmly by you in your educational journey,” Asefon said.