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PTDF screens 931 candidates for overseas scholarship in S’West

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About 931 candidates from the South-West region, on Thursday, were screened for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund overseas scholarship scheme in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PTDF team leader in the zone, Masud Mohamed announced this figure at the screening centre, Faculty of Petroleum Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, the state capital.

He explained that 749 candidates were screened last week for the Master’s category, with the interviews scheduled in both morning and afternoon sessions over five days.

Mohamed, who is Manager, College of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, under the PTDF, added that 182 candidates are been screened for doctoral degrees in fields relevant to the petroleum sector.

“The scholarship scheme is in fulfillment of one of its mandates. It remains a deliberate strategy to boost indigenous expertise and bridge the capacity gap in the nation’s oil and gas sector.

“One of the mandates of the PTDF is the responsibility of developing capacity for the oil and gas industry, and that’s precisely why we are doing this.

“The screening is strictly on oil and gas-related courses and the initiative has been running for several years now and produced scholars who are making valuable contributions to the society.”

He stated further that the screening exercise was decentralised, with six centres established nationwide, one per geopolitical zone, to ease participation, maintaining that it aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu in term of human capacity development of Nigerians.

Some of the candidates, Funke Olaonipekun and Uchechukwu Ginika, who spoke with journalists, said they knew about the opportunity from their friends.

Olaonipekun said, “I have no doubt in my mind that I will be one of the successful candidates as the whole process from applying to the screening session has been fair and transparent.”

On his part, Ginika, who applied for a doctoral degree at the University of Strasbourg, France, lauded the PTDF for investing in education of Nigerians and thus contributing to the future of the country.

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Education

PHOTOS: 200-level Niger State varsity d!es after collapsing in her off-campus residence

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A 200 level student of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger State, has d!ed after collapsing in her off-campus lodge.

The deceased, identified as Adamu Fatima Muhammad, with matriculation number U23/FNS/BCH/1093, was a student of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences.

Eye Witnesses said Fatima suddenly fell ill at her residence outside the university campus in Lapai and was rushed to the General Hospital, Lapai, where she was later confirmed d3ad.

According to the source, the deceased had earlier lost both parents and was living with her guardian in Suleja, Niger State, alongside her only surviving brother.

“She was a humble and dedicated student. Her passing is a tragedy that has thrown the entire university community into mourning,” the source said.

Fatima was buried in Lapai on Monday according to Islamic rites.

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PHOTOS: School collapse in Indonesia leaves three de@d, 38 missing

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At least three students have been k!lled and dozens are missing following the collapse of an Islamic boarding school in Indonesia’s East Java province, authorities have said.

National Search and Rescue Agency head Mohammad Syafii said as of 12.30pm (0530 GMT) on Tuesday, “the number of victims is 102 people, consisting of 99 survivors, 3 deaths”.

Rescuers are searching for 38 people believed to be trapped under the rubble following the building collapse, the National Agency for Disaster Management said.

Eleven people have been rescued from the rubble, and 91 others managed to escape, the disaster management agency said.

Seventy-seven victims were taken to several hospitals in the area for treatment for their injuries, according to the agency.

“Efforts to assess the site, monitor the remaining building structure, and prepare evacuation routes for victims are the primary focus of the teams on the ground,” the agency said in a statement on social media.

The agency added that the incident called attention to the need for the “strict implementation of construction safety standards”.

“The public and managers of multistorey buildings are urged to ensure technical supervision during construction to prevent similar occurrences in the future,” it said.

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, a separate body, had earlier reported that “provisional data” indicated that 100 students were caught up in the collapse, of whom all but one had been located alive.

Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School, in Sidoarjo, East Java, collapsed at about 3pm on Monday as students were gathering for afternoon prayers.

Authorities say the school’s foundation pillars gave way as crews were concreting the fourth floor of the building, trapping dozens of people under debris.

The incident is the second building collapse in Indonesia in less than a month.

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NELFUND closes 2024/2025 loan portal, sets timeline for next application

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The Nigerian Education Loan Fund said the application portal for the 2024/2025 academic session will officially close on Tuesday.

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

Sawyerr said this was to allow the Fund to conclude processing of pending applications and upkeep payments.

He also announced timelines for the 2025/2026 academic cycle, in line with its mandate to expand access to higher education through interest-free student loans.

According to him, the loan portal will reopen in the second week of October for fresh applications and remain open until January 2026.

”NELFUND remains committed to removing financial barriers for students and working with institutions to ensure that no eligible student is left behind.

“These timelines provide clarity for students, parents, and institutions to plan and participate fully in the process,” Sawyerr said.

The managing director directed institutions to update their students’ records on the Student Verification System to enable applicants access the scheme.

He added that all unverified applications for 2024/2025 would be automatically cancelled after Oct. 8, noting that students affected would be required to reapply under the new session.

He warned that institutions that failed to verify students’ records risk being publicly listed for non-compliance.

On upkeep stipends, Sawyerr explained that the payment for the 2024/2025 session would continue until November, adding that students were expected to reapply for 2025/2026 to continue receiving payments.

On repayment terms, he reiterated that the scheme remained interest-free while repayment would begin two years after completion of the National Youth Service Corps, with employers mandated to deduct 10 per cent of beneficiaries’ salaries.

He further expressed concern over arbitrary hikes in tuition and ancillary fees by some institutions, noting that a committee set up by the Minister of Education is working with regulators to harmonise and standardise fee structures across institutions.

Responding to concerns about upkeep stipends, he said the current ₦20,000 monthly allowance would not be increased immediately.

Sawyerr said an ongoing review of cost-of-living indices across different regions could however lead to weighted adjustments in future.

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