NASARAWA STUDENTS WANT AL-MAKURA TO REVISIT DOMA'S SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

By NBF News

Nasarawa State students have made an appeal to Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura to revisit the scholarship scheme introduced by his predecessor, Aliyu Akwe Doma's administration because it only succeeded in extorting money from poor students.

In a statement, the students narrated that Governor Doma asked all students of Nasarawa State origin who have attained a GP of 2.4 to pay a mandatory sum of N2, 500 to access the said scholarship. This sum was exclusive of bank charges and payment for internet registration services.

To add to their woes the screening exercise was conducted centrally at the headquarters of the State Ministry of Education in Lafia thus compelling all the students from far way institutions like University of Maiduguri and Usman Danfodio, Sokoto to abandon their academic activities for the screening exercise.

The students while recounting their ordeal, pointed out that although Governor Doma paid lip service to advancing the fortunes of the educational sector in the state, NCE students were excluded from the scholarship scheme. Also excluded were first year degree and National Diploma students.

Four years after with millions of naira collected from poor parents nothing was heard of the scholarship and the money they paid, the students said and called on Governor Almakura to look into the matter with a view to reviewing the scholarship scheme given his government's posture on probity, justice and transparency.

Some of the suggestions made by the students include total elimination of Grade Point benchmark for accessing the scholarship and claimed that widespread poverty in the state was responsible for the poor performance of some students. They also advised government to always work hand-in-hand with students in policy and decision making processes as that would go a long way in promoting mutual understanding and eliminate remote possibilities of tribulations.