Education Suffers Double Blow As Nigerians Award EKSU Best Students N250, N2000 Respectively
The value of education has become questionable yet again, after attentions were drawn to the double blow it suffered in EKSU after the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Naira (N250) and Two thousand Naira (N2000) cash prize awards were reportedly given to Ekiti State University’s Best students.
In a related development, the best graduating students at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Ekiti State University (EKSU), Uwuagwu Oluwadamilare Samuel was reportedly rewarded for his hard work with N2,000, while the best graduating student in the final examination for degree in B.Ed (Hons.) Education in a correspondence dated “13th of June, 2018”.
The cash prize was awarded to the best students (N250 & N2000) are awards from one Professor M.A. Faluyi Prize award and one Mrs. Florence Oluwafunmilayo Akinyede’s Prize award for the best graduating student in their respective Faculties.
In a letter signed by the University Deputy Registrar, Dr SO Afolabi, the university asked the student to liaise with the bursary department to claim his prize award of N2000.00.
The question however, is, WHAT IS EDUCATION WORTH IN NIGERIA?
It is however appalling and sad that Nigerian Scholars value education and academic excellence with such a meager reward worth the sum of two hundred and fifty Naira ((N250) and two thousand Naira (N2000).
This is without regard for what education should stand for talk-less of the sleepless nights, burnt candles and battle for the top with fellow students, regardless of the outrageous school fees paid every session.
Education seems to be going down the drain in terms of quality and value as the day passes, in Nigeria, with the disgraceful awards given to excellent performances by students in some institutions.
You would recall the act of one of the most revered institutions in Nigeria, when, in October 2014, Ms. Damilare Babajide, a 400 level Student of Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) was rewarded with a new car alongside other unannounced sumptuous perks as the winner of the 2014 Miss UNILAG pageant.
However, in the same institution, Olaitan Zainab, a 200 level student of Political Science who emerged from a rigorous academic debate competition was handed a sum of N100,000 with a laptop computer.” SaharaReporters
According to SaharaReporters, the previous winner of the university debate, Ms. Mary Adegunloye, was given a cash prize of N50,000 with a laptop computer. The same would have been repeated in 2014 if not for criticisms of some staff and student leaders on the campus which prompted an increase of N50,000.
Reports also claimed that the management was also persuaded to give runners-up in the debate competition a sum of N50,000 each, although this was not done in the previous year.
From all indications, it is clear then that education is valued lesser than other affairs, as stated above, having awarded the sum of two hundred and fifty naira (N250) and two thousand naira (N2000) to the best graduating students of the faculties in question.
NGScholars!!!
