"Merit Over Everything": Hon. Chaka Nweze Breaks Down the Selection Criteria for Ebonyi’s 90 Overseas Scholars

Hon. Chaka Nweze

​As the second batch of Ebonyi State overseas scholars prepares to depart, the Chairman of the State Scholarship Board, Chief (Hon) Chaka Nweze, has provided a detailed briefing on the rigorous standards used to select the final 90 beneficiaries. Addressing the public, Hon. Nweze emphasized that the selection process was "purely on merit," designed to ensure that only the most academically resilient students benefit from the state’s multi-billion naira investment. To maintain absolute integrity, the board bypassed student-provided transcripts, reaching out directly to various universities to verify every applicant's record before clearance.

​According to Hon. Nweze, the board initially established a threshold of First Class and Second Class Upper (2:1) degrees. However, when the volume of 2:1 applicants exceeded the Governor’s allotted slots, the board introduced a stricter "CGPA Grading" system. Candidates with a "comfortable" 2:1 (a CGPA of 3.0 and above) were cleared for the overseas program at institutions like the University of Lincoln and Oxford University, Birmingham. Conversely, those with a 2:1 but a CGPA below 3.0 were assigned to top-tier national universities, including UNN, UNIZIK, FUTO, UNIBEN, and UNILAG, to pursue their postgraduate studies locally.

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​The briefing also shed light on recent logistics challenges involving the UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration), which had begun rejecting some applications without clear reasons. Hon. Nweze revealed that Governor Francis Nwifuru personally intervened by contacting the PTDF and British Embassy officials to resolve the bottlenecks. Also, the board maintained direct communication with the partner UK universities, who have now stepped in to ensure visa issuance resumes. Despite these delays, travel arrangements are finalized, and the state government has already fully paid for the flight tickets of all 90 students, who will depart as soon as their passports are stamped.

​However, Hon. Nweze was firm on the "Give Back" policy of the administration. Every beneficiary has signed a formal bond agreeing to return to Nigeria immediately upon completion of their studies to serve Ebonyi State for a mandatory five-year period. The Chairman noted that their jobs are already waiting for them, as these scholars are being groomed to occupy specific roles within the state's expanding sectors. After this five-year service to the state, the scholars are free to traverse the globe and pursue their careers wherever they choose.