By Ebere Suzy Okoye
The Archbishop of the Catholic Arch-Diocese of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, has awarded a three-year scholarship to Miss Glory Edwin, the best overall student in 2013 Basic Education Certificate Examinations for Junior Secondary School in Anambra.
Okeke announced the scholarship to Miss Edwin, who is a student of St. Anthony of Padua High School, Nkpor, at the Archbishop’s Court in the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha on Tuesday.
It would be recalled that Edwin, who scored 14 Alphas at the 2013 Basic Education Certificate, was the first to receive the archbishop’s scholarship for impressive performance at the junior level meant to cover her three years at the Senior Secondary level.
The archbishop said that the scholarship was primarily meant to encourage “hard work and dignity of labour’’; adding that the scholarship was meant for any hard working student in Anambra irrespective of denomination or religion.
He noted that Edwin’s scholarship could be continued if she still put up the same overall impressive performance at her Senior Secondary Certificate Examination level.
“Today, we are encouraging a hardworking student and by extension helping educational growth and excellence in the state.
“Any student who works hard from any school in Anambra State, notwithstanding his or her denomination or religion would be a recipient of our scholarship awards.
“We have some categories of scholarship awards; which one is the science competition.
“Where students compete in area of sciences – Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology; where the overall best are given scholarship and other awards to encourage them.
“Then, the other one is the general education awards from our youth foundation, which is meant for students, who excel in their education,’’ Okeke said.
Responding, The Manager of St. Anthony of Padua High School, Nkpor, Rev. Father Martin Ikeagu, said that the scholarship would further motivate other students of the school to be studious.
“I must thank the archbishop for this scholarship award; which is already serving as a motivation to everybody in the school – administrators, lectures and students.
“We got these high by following laid down academic discipline and guidelines of the arch-diocese and we would continue to maintain the standard,’’ Ikeagu assured.
The beneficiary, Miss Edwin (15), thanked the archbishop for the scholarship award and other gifts that followed it; while assuring the archbishop and her school that she would put more efforts in her senior secondary studies.
Edwin, who worships at Victory Christ Church, Onitsha and hails from Delta State, said: “This scholarship award is a challenge to me so that I would put in more hard work in my senior secondary examinations’’.
