MAN Oron woos female cadets with free tuition, scholarships

By Dapo Olawuni |

Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria(MAN),Oron, Commodore Emmanuel Effedua (rtd) has revealed plans by the academy to start offering scholarships to its female cadets and even offer free tuition fees to some of them.

This according to him is to encourage women to embrace the seafaring profession.

Efedua stated this while speaking as a panelist at 2019 World Maritime Day celebration in Lagos on Thursday.

With the 2019 World Maritime Day focusing on empowering women in the maritime community, Effedua said considering such incentives as scholarships in school fees and other waivers could encourage more girls to the study in the Academy.

“We might be considering giving scholarships to female cadets. But that will be in line with approvals from the governing council.

“I am going to make that proposal in our next meeting next month, and also see how we can convince the Minister for State for Transportation to support us for real advantage in terms of fees and waivers to encourage them to come,” Effedua said.

The Rector disclosed that in 2018, 27 female cadets were admitted.

He highlighted the fact that their admission were however merited as they performed brilliantly in their examinations.

On other ways that the Academy had encouraged women, Effedua said “Some months ago, I gathered 600 young girls for interactions with some experts who came to give motivational talks, to encourage them to stay focused and not be carried away by distraction.”

There are also plans to have maritime experts interact with high school girls and steer their thinking toward the industry more, just as other plans would be to encourage the girls with documentary on women at sea

Speaking on the challenges of having female cadets onboard vessels for seatime, Effedua said the problem had been with the non-configuration of the ships to accommodate some peculiar needs of women.

He assured that the academy is in talks with some shipowners in Nigeria, adding that the required changes would be effected.