No fewer than 32 students under the Niger Delta Development Commission’s postgraduate scholarship programme have graduated with distinction from Coventry University in the UK.

The students received their postgraduate degrees in various fields during the graduation ceremony held in Coventry on Thursday.

DSamuel Ogbuku, the NDDC managing director, in a statement on Monday, commended the graduates for their accomplishments.

Mr Ogbuku, who led a delegation to the ceremony, said the academic success had brought pride to the NDDC, the people of the Niger Delta, and Nigeria.

“They are excellent ambassadors of the Niger Delta region. No scholar from the NDDC has ever been associated with any misconduct, which underscores the admirable character of our beneficiaries,” he said.

Mr Ogbuku noted that previous beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme had established a strong foundation and set commendable standards for future scholars to emulate. He further revealed that 18 scholars had also achieved distinction at Coventry University in 2024.

According to him, the consistent achievements recorded under the scholarship programme over the years demonstrated the commission’s strong commitment to human capital development.

“Education remains the most powerful instrument for transforming the fortunes of the Niger Delta region. I am therefore delighted to be in Coventry to witness the outstanding performance of our scholars, which also affirms the transparency and merit-based process through which the beneficiaries were selected,” he added.

The NDDC chief suggested that scholars who did not graduate with distinction might have faced challenges related to limited computer proficiency. He noted that a lack of computer literacy had been a significant obstacle for some scholars studying abroad.

“This is due to the fact that the educational system in the United Kingdom integrates technology extensively and employs blended learning techniques, which may be unfamiliar to many Nigerian students. Henceforth, applicants for the upcoming NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship must provide proof of computer proficiency,” he stated.

Mr Ogbuku also explained that the visit provided an opportunity for the NDDC delegation to explore potential collaborative partnerships between Coventry University and universities in the Niger Delta region. 

(NAN)