United States (US) Consul General Michael Dodman and the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, recognised fifty Sindh students who received the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded scholarships under the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Programme and implemented by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. The programme provided full scholarships to talented but financially needy Pakistani students.
“Your academic success inspires the next generation. We expect great things from you… today I see future community leaders, inventors, educators, business executives, and parliamentarians. The key to a strong, prosperous, and peaceful Pakistan lies in your capable hands,” said US Consul General Michael Dodman, who spoke with 50 scholarship recipients from Sindh after they described how the scholarship had enriched their lives and opened up doors of opportunity.
The Merit and Need-Based Scholarship Programme had been awarding scholarships for university study to academically talented, financially needy Pakistani students. Overall, more than 1,250 talented but economically disadvantaged Pakistani students have received Merit and Needs Based Scholarships under this USAID programme, with 571 of those students belonging to Sindh.
The programme targeted students going to government schools in rural or remote areas like northern Sindh. Students could pursue study in agriculture (Master’s or Bachelor’s degrees) at one of the Sindhi partner universities, which included the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Institute of Business Administration Sukkur, Institute SZABIST, Karachi, and Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam. The scholarships fund not only covered the cost of tuition, but also included books, transportation, and other expenses associated with full-time study. Most of the scholarship recipients have found jobs within six months of completing their degrees.