Akure, Nigeria
Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Ondo State Governor, has flagged off the payment of N335m scholarships to indigenes of the state in higher institutions across the country.
The governor said that his administration recognizes education as the cornerstone of development, stressing that it is the key to unlocking the potential of young people.
Aiyedatiwa spoke during the official flag-off ceremony for the award of bursary, scholarship, and financial assistance to 11, 200 students of Ondo State origin in tertiary institutions across the country on Monday in Akure.
According to him, the payments were divided into five categories of scholarships and bursary payments which will gulp a sum of N335 million.
The administration has increased the annual bursary of the students from N10,000 to 20,000 while students with disabilities are to get N75,000 each and scholarship beneficiaries to get 100,000 each.
The governor stated that his administration was deeply committed to supporting students who face financial challenges in their pursuit of higher education.
“Many of our students face significant financial challenges in pursuing their academic dreams. That is why we have these bursary and scholarship awards, as well as financial assistance, to provide support, alleviate financial burdens, and enable our students to focus on their studies.
“These awards are a testament to our commitment to investing in the future of our State and our country. We must ensure that our students have access to quality education and the necessary support to excel in their academic pursuits,” he added.
He used the opportunity to outline several initiatives by his administration which he said were to improve the quality of education in the state.
The governor said some of the initiatives include regular payments of WASSCE registration fees for students in public secondary schools, massive reconstruction and renovation of public schools, recruitment and training of teachers, digitalization of the education sector, and consistent financial support to tertiary institutions.
Aiyedatiwa encouraged the beneficiaries to see the awards as a vote of confidence in their abilities, urging them to make good use of the money offered by the state.
