UK offers scholarships for persons with disabilities in Nigeria

The British High Commission in Nigeria has extended the prestigious Chevening scholarship for the 2024/2025 academic year to select Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs).

Ms Gill Atkinson, Deputy Commissioner of the British High Commission in Nigeria, made this announcement on Wednesday in Abuja during a presentation aimed at introducing the Chevening Scholarship to PWDs and guiding them through the application process.

Atkinson highlighted that Chevening is a significant initiative that strengthens cooperation between the UK and the Nigerian government, particularly in the education sector, and promotes the inclusion of PWDs in society.

“Chevening is designed not to discriminate against any particular group of people but to give them the opportunities to study, meet their passions and bring those skills and experiences that they have discovered and developed back to Nigeria.

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“The reason we are doing this is to help Nigeria’s brightest and best take their country forward. We want to see young Nigerians equipped to move their country forward.

“The inclusion of persons with disabilities into the programmes is a way the UK government shows them that they are just like every other person with great abilities. Persons with disabilities cannot be left out because they also have a lot to impact on society which is why the inclusion”.

Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Ladepo, the Chevening Programme Officer in Nigeria, expressed that the inclusion of persons with disabilities is driven by the desire to harness the positive contributions they can make to Nigeria.

This initiative acknowledges the potential and valuable impact that individuals with disabilities can bring to the country.

“We are not giving PWDs only because of their disabilities but because they have the ability that many have overlooked due to their disability.

“We have someone from the previous set who is a Journalist with Visual impairment who completed his master’s program and got an internship with BBC.

“This is because of his ability and intelligence and he will be back after his internship to contribute to the media.

“So this is the basic thing, partnering with Nigeria, to improve Nigeria and also to gain from Nigeria because if we have these people going, we are also having strong people coming back to build Nigeria.”