The Republic of Korea has given complete Master’s degree scholarships to 13 government officials from Nigeria to study at major Korean universities.
The 13 students were taken from various government agencies and a pre-departure orientation program was organized to prepare them for what to expect while studying in the nation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Republic of Korea Ambassador Mr. Lee In-Tae informed the students that the grant was provided through the grant aid agency and technical cooperation agency of the country (Korea International Cooperation Agency- KOICA).
He said that during the participants ‘ stay in the Republic of Korea, the KOICA scholarship covered a round trip air ticket, admission and tuition charges, lodging, health insurance and meals.
He said that since it formed a diplomatic relationship in 1980, the Korean government had supported the Nigerian government.
He said the scholarship’s goal was to help Nigerians be up-to-date with worldwide best practices, particularly with regard to the technology that Korea has accomplished.
He repeated the significance of “Can-Do Spirit” to junior officials of the Nigerian government who would leave the nation for Korea’s scholarship course and urged them to replicate what they learned on their return in Nigeria.
“Korea is one of the few countries which successfully transformed from aid recipient to donor in the world.
“The cornerstone which can change Nigeria is not only a physical or material asset, but the Can-Do Spirit and mind-set of government officials.
“You should make Nigeria one of the most peaceful and prosperous and innovative countries in Africa and in the world when you return” he said.
Woochan Chang, Country Director, said the scholarship program was a worldwide initiative to promote studying individuals.
Chang said over 50 officials of the Nigerian government were backed to undergo Master’s degree programs in Korea from 1997 to 2018.
He said the program was effective this year with 13 government officials from different ministries, departments and agencies across the country.
He said students were given the chance through this program to learn from the experience of poverty reduction in Korea.
He said it was also to assist them achieve a better knowledge of Korean development’s critical success factors that would add to Korea’s future social, political, and economic links.
One of Nigeria News Agency’s (NAN) scholarship beneficiaries Yashim Katurak Rebecca said 2019 made it her fifth year applying for the KOICA Master’s Program.
“During the years 2015, 2017 and 2019, I never applied for master’s program in any other countries because it was either Korea or no other country.
“My persistence was born out of my love for the Korean people, her history, and high education standard.’’
Yashim said that a lesson to learn was the can-do spirit of Koreans that fostered the country’s fast growth from an aid recipient in the 1960s to the world’s 11th strongest economy.
Mr Kalu Nduka, another recipient of the scholarship commended the Korean government for the privilege and promised to utilise the knowledge.
The Republic of Korea hoped that the respondents would obtain professional and first-hand understanding to allow them to play important roles in the growth of Nigeria after their research, according to the Nigeria News Agency (NAN).
