Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has approved N730 million in scholarships for 26,888 indigent students of the state.
The approval was announced on Monday by the Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, who represented the governor yesterday in Maiduguri at the presentation of the symbolic cheque at the Quality Assurance office of the Ministry.
The N730 million cheque was thereafter handed over to the State’s Scholarship Board (BOSB) for disbursement to the students.
He said the scholarship payments will commence immediately to support academic activities in institutions of higher learning in the country and abroad.
Additionally, Wakilbe said that the Zulum administration has invested over N8 billion in scholarships for students this year.
He stated that the scholarships are for students studying in Nigerian and foreign universities.
In a breakdown of the scholarship awards, the commissioner said: “We continue to emphasise the importance of hard work among the students,” noting that this will justify the state government’s investments in the education sector.
He, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to ensure their bank details are accurate, warning: “This will prevent failed transactions into your respective bank accounts.”
According to him, all unclaimed credited funds will be redirected to the Scholarship Board.
Wakilbe encouraged the students to explore additional educational opportunities, including those offered by the NELFUND initiative.
He called on student leaders to utilise available resources effectively to complete their studies in the universities.
While expressing gratitude, the National President of the National Union of Borno State Students (NUBOSS), Abdullahi Umara, commended Governor Zulum for his commitment to prioritising education.
A beneficiary of the scholarships, Abba Ali Gana, suggested an honorary title for Zulum as “A student-friendly governor,” while Wakilbe was named the “Architect of modern education” in recognition of their efforts to improve education to global standards in the state.
