How NTIC scholarship assists pupils attain academic goals

The Nigeria Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) scholarship programme is said to have opened doors for brilliant pupils especially those from low-income families to enhance their academic achievements.     A teacher in one of the colleges said the NTIC scholarship award, coupled with academic achievements led to a consistent growth and expansion through the years with […]

The Nigeria Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) scholarship programme is said to have opened doors for brilliant pupils especially those from low-income families to enhance their academic achievements.    

A teacher in one of the colleges said the NTIC scholarship award, coupled with academic achievements led to a consistent growth and expansion through the years with primary and secondary schools sited in about nine states across the country, to develop capacity in science, mathematics and technical education.

He said the aim of the colleges is only one of its kind because of the consistent support to underprivileged Nigerians through the award of scholarship to deserving pupils and students who have excelled in science and mathematics. 

The colleges have also collaborated with the Federal Government to promote literacy.

According to him since inception in 1999, the colleges which started with 13 pupils, have provided quality education to the youth and that over 25 per cent of students are pursuing various degrees on scholarships based on competence and performance. The scholarship programme is continuous with regular review to accommodate more under privileged families to secure good education.

The 2018 and 15th edition of the awards held on Saturday, April 7, 2018 in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Ogun during which 48 exceptional pupils were offered scholarships which cover all expenses for their secondary school education.

Thousands of pupils took part in a selection process which was fundamentally mathematics examination and 48 of them who scored the highest marks were awarded the scholarships and given cash prizes while their teachers too went home with a number of awards.

The pupils with the highest marks that grabbed the top three positions were awarded full scholarships and cash prizes of between N100,000 and N300,000 while the their math teachers, too received cash prizes of up to N200,000, and their schools given gifts that ranged from photocopiers, desktop computers and printers.

The selection process and criteria was based on performance at the examination, which had a cut off mark ranging from 80 per cent and above, in which case, the 2018 mathematics competition examiners selected the first 48 pupil who passed with distinction grade at the competition.

It is an annual mathematics competition organized by the NTIC Scholarship Award Foundation aimed at selecting talented pupils in mathematics and sciences to promote technical and science education in Nigeria.

Speaking on the importance of the scholarship programme, the Managing Director of NTIC, Orhan Kertim, stated that, “For 15 years, NTIC has been promoting effective teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary levels and developing greater capacity through National Mathematics Competition.”

According to him, the 2018 edition of the award (which is the 15th) had about 39,500 pupils who took part in the test in various states across Nigeria, but only 48 were able to make it to the top positions.

Kertim disclosed that the scholarship contest started in 2003 and about 260,200 pupils have participated.