EKITI DISBURSES N253 MILLION SCHOLARSHIP TO 2,031 STUDENTS

By Lere Olayinka

Between 2008 and 2009, Ekiti State Government disbursement a total sum of N253,014,000.00 as scholarship to 2,031 students from the State studying in tertiary institutions both in Nigeria and foreign countries, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre has disclosed.

Ojo-Lanre, who made this known in a statement made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti noted that the Governor Segun Oni-led administration would continue to reward academic excellence by assisting brilliant students in pursuance of their studies through the scholarship scheme.

The governor's spokesperson said N8,460,000 was given to 282 secondary school students at the rate of N30,000 per student, 86 physically challenged students got N8.6 million at N100,000 each, 82 students of College of Education received N3,280,000 at N40,000 each and 132 polytechnic students got N7,920,000 at N60,000 each.

He further disclosed that 1,200 university undergraduates were given N72 million at N60,000 each, 131 Masters Degree Students in Nigeria received N26.2 million at N200,000 each while 47 students that are pursuing Master Degrees abroad received N23.5 million at N500, 000 each.

The beneficiaries also included 88 students pursuing PhD programmes in Nigeria who got N66 million at N750,000 each, four overseas maritime students, N8,064,000 at N2,016,000 per student, two Aviation (Commercial Pilot) students, N3 million at N1.5 million each, 14 overseas PhD students, N21 million at N1.5 million each, three Pilot students of Nigerian Aviation College, Zaria, N3 million at n1 million each and five student pursuing Engineering course at the Aviation College, N1.5 million at N300,000 each.

Others, who benefitted from the scholarship scheme were seven students, who took part in the Sports/Special Competition, N280,000 at N40,000 each while one student who took part in the Science/Quiz Competition got N60,000 and one Linguistic student studying abroad got N150,000.

Speaking on the scholarship scheme, Ojo-Lanre said; “Governor Oni is passionate about the resuscitation of the education sector and that explains why the government has been making conceited efforts to return Ekiti State to those good old days when our people were accorded respect in terms of academic pursuit.

“Some of the people that have been here before were deceiving the people, claiming that they were running government like the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. But throughout the period that they were in government, they never had a scholarship board not to talk of awarding N1 scholarship.

“But today, we can beat our chest and say that we have invested heavily in the future of our youths through education subsidy. This we have done by assisting brilliant students in pursuance of their academics and alleviating their financial burden through the scholarship scheme.”

While calling on youths in the state to always strive for the best in their educational pursuits and various callings, he stressed that only students whose cumulative GPA was not less than Second Class Upper would be qualified for the scholarship award.