Thirty-five talented pupils from public primary schools in three Niger Delta states have been awarded the NNPC-Shell Cradle-to-Career scholarship, which covers six years of secondary school education.
The scholarship program is fully funded by the NNPC/SPDC/TotalEnergies/NAOC joint venture.
The beneficiaries, who hail from Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa States, recently completed a weeklong orientation program, which included introductory courses in academics, character development, and psychology.
This program was designed to prepare them for a smooth transition into their new learning environments.
The students have been enrolled in three highly regarded private schools: Brookstone Secondary School, Jephthah Comprehensive College, and Bloombreed High School, all located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Mr. Igo Weli, the General Manager of Corporate Relations at The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, described the beneficiaries as the “35 shining stars of the Niger Delta.”
He noted that they emerged through a competitive selection process, including aptitude tests.
Weli, who spoke at the induction closeout ceremony, highlighted the importance of the scholarship program in bridging educational inequalities, improving literacy rates in the Niger Delta, and contributing to the realization of UNESCO’s “Education for All” goal.
This batch of scholars represents the 14th cohort of beneficiaries since the scholarship program’s inception in 2010, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 790.
Professor Kaniye Ebeku, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, commended the success of the program and the meticulous process used to identify pupils from less-privileged backgrounds.
He encouraged the scholarship recipients to concentrate, stay focused on their goals, and make the most of the opportunity to receive an excellent education.
