SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba – The local scholarship committee in Nimba has administered aptitude tests to over 176 students in Sanniquellie to determine their qualifications for scholarships.

In a conversation with The Bush Chicken in Sanniquellie on Wednesday, June 21, 2018, the chair for the committee, Karweah Andrew Kwahmie, said the move is meant to select qualified students for financial aid and scholarship.

Kwahmie said the aptitude test was being administered to students accepted into accredited institutions across the country such as Starz College of Science and Technology, Bong Technical College, Nimba County Community College, the United Methodist University, William V. S. Tubman University, and others.

To be preselected, the students applied based on announcements that ran on the radio calling for applications. Those who were selected must have already been in a college or university and must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.00, among other requirements. Kwahmie who is Nimba County Education Planning Officer and chair on the ministry of education local scholarship committee, mentioned that to be a possible candidate for the process, an individual must already be in college or University, submit a recent grade slip with Grade Point Average of 3.00, transcript, diploma, letter of recommendation from Dean of last institution among.

Kwahmie, who is also the education planning officer for Nimba, said scholarships would pay for eighteen credits per semester for every qualified candidate, no matter the institution.

He said qualified candidates for graduate programs would benefit from the ministry of education scholarship for five academic semesters, but he did not spell out the duration for undergraduates.

“Once an individual maintains his or her grade point, he will be retained on the scholarship except the government faces financial constrain,” Kwahmie said.

Test takers at the Sanniquellie High School. Photo: Franklin Nehyalor

Meanwhile, the co-chair of the local scholarship committee, James Garwuo, has said the scholarship is focused on majors such as nursing, geology, mining, information technology, and agriculture.

He said the aptitude test consisted of two portions – a multiple choice portion that gauged their understanding of English grammar, and an essay portion.

“We allowed every student from every part of Liberia to take in the process, treat them on a fair basis based on their documents,” Garwuo said.

The students who sat for the day-long test and spoke to The Bush Chicken applauded the government for affording them the opportunity to participate in the program. They noted that the test was free of intimidation and cheating.

Featured photo by Franklin K. Nehyalor