Mark awards N500million scholarship

Source: pointblanknews.com

———Says I have passion for Education

No fewer than 15,700 students in Tertiary and elementary schools in Benue State and beyond have so far benefitted from Senaor Daid Mark Scholarship foundation ( DMSF) for which about N600million Naira had been spent since 2004.

An Average of N50million naira is awarded as scholarship to students from primary to tertiary levels from Benue state and beyond annually under the DMSF.

The awardees included 14,703 students from various Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education as well as School of Nursing.

The beneficiaries are classified into five categories including students of tertiary institutions, Gifted girl child, Orphans and vulnerable children as well as special awards.

Distributing this year’s awards to beneficiaries in Otukpo, Benue state yesterday, the immediate past president of the Senate Senator David Mark restated his passion for education and wished that all citizens have access to quality and functional education.

According to senator Mark:” For me, education is a passion. I wish that every citizen have access to quality and functional education.

” This would eliminate ignorance, diseases and societal vices. Besides, some people would not take advantage or manipulate the uneducated needlessly”.

He therefore promised to sustain the scholarship foundation no matter the challenges, stressing ” I cannot play politics with this foundation. I don’t need to . For those who criticize me, they should not bother or worry . They can simply do theirs.

” I believe that if every other person who is well placed under takes to to train at least two uneducated citizen annually, we would have wiped out illiteracy in our society in no distant time.”

He reiterated that the scholarship now under a foundation would outlive him because “it is a legacy dear to me.”

Senator Mark used the occasion to express appreciation to the federal government for approving the new university of medical sciences sited in his Otukpo, Benue state country home.

To the benefitting students, Senator Mark counseled them to shun all forms of vices such as cultism and examination malpractices saying” you would be our pride and worthy future leaders if you continue to excel in your academics.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of DMSF, Professor James Alachi said the scholarship scheme which started in 2005 with a token of N5,000 per student has increased to N20,000 per beneficiary in 2015 . This he explained is beside the over 1,000 indigent students on full scholarship.

For the 2014/2015 academic year, he said that the sum of N50million was paid to recipients of the DMSF.

Recipients including physically challenged Benue state university graduate Francis Agboko expressed appreciation to Senator Mark for making their dreams of being educated come through.

Signed:
Paul Mumeh
Media Assistant to Senator David Mark
Immediate past President of the Senate.
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