Some of the graduating students of the Kogi State University, Anyigba, have registered their outrage over the “ridiculous amounts of money” awarded by the state government to First Class and Best graduating students.
KSU authorities awarded N2000 cash prizes to students who bagged first class at their respective departments, while it awarded a sum of N5000 to overall best graduate of the institution.
One of the aggrieved first class graduating students shared his cheque with SaharaReporters on Monday with the United Bank for Africa slip showing a paltry sum of N2000 as reward for academic excellence by the university
The cheque was dated 26th January, 2022.
The money was given to the graduates during their recent convocation.
"This was at a recent convocation. N2000 was given to all first-class graduating students and N5000 to the overall best graduands," the source said.
We had in the recent past reported how Nigerian universities award ridiculous amounts of money to its best graduating students – a common practice becoming more characteristic of the falling educational values in the country and the embarrassing nature of the prizes in the face of new economic realities.
Some education experts have lamented that the paltry sums show that the political leaders do not value the academic prowess of youths, as they would rather lavish taxpayers' money on frivolous and mundane activities.
In June 2021, we reported how the University Of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka, Enugu State also awarded N1,000 to best graduating students as prizes during its 49th convocation.
we learnt that parents and visitors were disappointed and angry that the first-generation university could award such ridiculous prizes to its best brains at a public ceremony.
It had been gathered from page 28 of the programme booklet that, "Faculty of the Social Sciences; Prof Onigu Otite Prize for the best graduating student in the Department of Sociology/Anthropology, Value (N1000), Onwuneme Victory A.
"Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation Prize to the best graduating student in Economics, Value (N1000), Okafor John Chimezie; Chief Enoch Ifediora Oil Prize to the best graduating student in the Department of Geography, Value (N1000) Ukata Nkemakonam; Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu memorial prize to the best final year student in the Faculty of Business Administration, Value (N1500) Nwankwo Esther."
Some university workers drew comparisons between the university's show of shame at its prize and award night and secular shows and awards such as Big Brother Naija, where the winner takes prizes worth millions of naira.
1 Comments
What a shame..! People don't seem to value education?
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