ACCESS Micro-Scholarship Ceremonies

Mr. Thomas P. Furey
Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy
ACCESS Micro-Scholarship Ceremonies

Zaria and Kano
December 6 and 7, 2004

• Principal
• Teachers
• Staff
• Students
• Parents
• Ladies and gentlemen
• All protocols observed.
  

U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Thomas P. Furey Presenting an ACCESS Scholarship Certificate to one of the student recipients at the Bayero University Demonstration Secondary School, Kano

Good morning, everyone. Thank you for welcoming me.

I am delighted to participate in this morning's program to present 10 ACCESS Micro-Scholarships on behalf of Ambassador John Campbell. Ambassador Campbell could not be with us today, but he sends his heartiest congratulations and well wishes to each of the student awardees.

The ACCESS Micro-Scholarship Program assists highly talented needy high school students to acquire a good education through enhanced English language teaching. It is a very selective and competitive program. Nigeria is one of eight African countries that are benefiting from this U. S. Government initiative.

The 10 young people receiving awards this morning deserve our praise for successfully completing a rigorous selection process. For the next three years of their senior high school education, each student will receive up to 65,000 Naira per annum to cover school fees, textbooks, transportation and uniforms. By our estimation, the cost of educating these students is approximately two million naira. In US currency, the amount is approximately fifteen thousand dollars.

Between Kano and Zaria, the 20 students selected for awards are already attending three years of senior high school at the Demonstration Secondary School, Ahmadu Bello University, and at the Staff Secondary School, Bayero University. Both schools are beneficiaries of an English-teaching program funded by the U.S. Government and the schools have received materials and equipment valued at thirty thousand US dollars. Among the items they have received are computers, English teaching materials, videos, and CD ROMs. They have also received assistance for internet connectivity.

These two schools, I am told, are among the best secondary schools in Northern Nigeria. Our hope is that they will gain even greater recognition through this enhanced English teaching and scholarship program.

Through the Access Micro-Scholarship Program, we are pleased to be able to assist these future leaders of Nigeria to gain career- enhancing skills to ease their way in the 21st Century. The benefits of the grants to the individual students and to Nigeria's economic and democratic development are enormous. Among these students may be a future president of Nigeria, a CEO of a multinational corporation, or a distinguished international scholar. These students are only limited by their dreams.

I am pleased to note that in accepting the awards, the students have the support of their parents, their former school principals, and, of course, the management of these outstanding secondary schools. Special thanks are due to Dr. Yahaya Kajuru, Principal, Demonstration Secondary School, Ahmadu Bello University and Professor Yakubu Nasidi, Chairman, School Management Board and to Mrs. Janet Tebu, the Board of Bayero University-Kano Staff School, and Bayero University for their cooperation in the program.

I would like to close my remarks with a quote from U.S. president James A. Garfield, who lived in the 1800s. President Garfield said, "Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained."

It is my pleasure to present certificates to today's fortunate students on behalf of the US Government and the American people. Please join me in applauding them for their outstanding achievements.