The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Florence Obi, has instituted the VC’s scholarship award to combat the ‘read to fail, sort to pass’ syndrome.
She announced this on Friday while addressing 68 beneficiaries of the 2024/2025 VC scholarship award in the institution’s Senate Chamber.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the award, now in its second edition, was introduced in the 2023/2024 academic session with 34 outstanding recipients.
Prof. Obi stated that while some believed the award should support indigent students, she intentionally prioritised academic excellence to motivate students to work harder.
“Thirty-five years ago, we worked hard and sat for exams. Today, students say only a few who study pass, while those who sort grades succeed,” she said.
She emphasised that the award targets students with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.0 and above, adding that results have improved since the previous session.
Hoping to reach 100 recipients by 2026, she urged students to cultivate diligence, stressing that hard work remains rewarding, even if the award is not sustained.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Tony Eyang, praised the 68 recipients for their academic distinction and encouraged them to inspire their peers.
Commending the VC and management staff, he described the students as part of the university’s enduring legacy.
Miss Ugochi Ogba, a 200-level Business Management student with a CGPA of 4.92, expressed joy at being the highest-scoring student.
She shared that she often studied late at night and remained unfazed by competition from male students, hoping to win the award again next session.
Initially reserved for first-year students, the N50,000 scholarship was expanded to include other levels, fostering healthy academic competition across the university.