Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, has unveiled the selection of candidates for the domestic postgraduate scholarship program, assured impending beneficiaries of merit-based consideration.

Barau cautioned those entrusted with the screening and selection of qualified candidates to carry out the responsibility without compromise or favour any person, adding that the motive was to provide a platform for the best candidates.

Declaring the screening exercise open at Bayero University Kano, on Sunday, Senator Barau said the programme was designed to fund 300 indigenes seeking to pursue MSc programs in Artificial Intelligence and other related programs in selected universities in Nigeria.

He recently sponsored 1,001 Kano indigenes on a foreign postgraduate programme and explained that the domestic scholarship is designed to widen opportunities to those who could not secure a foreign trip.

Barau, representing Kano North senatorial district, reminded that the funding system on education in Nigeria requires concerted support of individuals to complement government efforts, adding that the instinct essentially underscores the scholarship program through his foundation.

“This programme is devoid of any form of favor and partiality, and selection through the screening must be based on merit. You don’t need to know anybody. I don’t have a candidate, and the process must not be compromised in favour of any candidate because we are doing this to bring out the best candidates”. Barau noted.

Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, applauded the initiative of the Deputy Senate President towards building human and capital development in Kano.

The VC affirmed that apart from the scholarship programme, Barau has contributed to intellectual development in Bayero University, reassuring the university’s readiness to support the philanthropic stride of the Deputy Senate President.

Chief of Staff to the Deputy Senate President, Professor Mohammed bin Abdullah, disclosed that the domestic scholarship will accommodate 300 candidates to pursue MSc programs on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data science, Robotics technology, Software technology, Geo-physics, Metal and Material technology, and oil exploration.