Katsina state earmarks over N600 million for scholarship trust fund
- The Katsina state scholarship trust fund has been relaunched
- Sustaining the scheme was said to have been accentuated by the geometric rise of students in the state
- However, the state government says despite the challenges, it is going ahead with the scheme
The Katsina government has relaunched its scholarship trust fund for the benefit of students in the state.
The state government says it is going ahead with the scheme despite the fact that sustaining it has become a challenge, due to its financial limitations.
A statement by the Ibrahim M Abdullah, the head of media and publicity in the state government noted that: “Government has no meaning if it does not translate to welfare of the people, their security and improvement in their condition of living and beautiful things they strive to have.
“It is no gain saying that health, agriculture, education and commerce are the backbone of societal development most especially education.
“Education is an aspirational asset, a tool that enables human beings widen their horizon, develop skill and up-lift themselves. Societies with better educated citizens are more equipped to deal with new challenges and technological advancements."
Legit.ng gathered that sustaining the scheme was accentuated by the geometric rise of students in the state making it difficult for the state government to operate and maintain a regime of student’s allowances in view of other equally important competing demands.
This situation was further aggravated with the dwindling fortune of the investment that is used to finance the scheme.
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But since August 2016, strenuous efforts have been put in place to see to the realization of set objectives which informed the setting of the Trust Fund.
The state said: “RT. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, the executive governor of Katsina through the Katsina state scholarship trust fund under the stewardship of Alhaji Isah Ahmed has remained resolute in his determination to see that these objectives are met.
“To this end, His Excellency approved the payment of about 50,842 student’s allowances to the tune of N677,444,000.
“The Masari led administration sourced and secured admission for about 32 students in various institutions of higher learning in non-English speaking countries and resolved to make giant stride in the payment of allowances to students next year by interfacing with a commercial bank that will produce customized bursary cards for each student.
“When this is done, the administration will no longer be carrying money following students to their respective schools for payment.
“Furthermore, despite the financial challenges, the Masari led administration having inherited unsettled foreign students scholarship debt from the previous administration to the tune of N1,024,773,500.34 ( N 1.024bn) went ahead and settled N512,386,750.17 which equals half the liability.
“The Katsina state’s scholarship trust fund under the Masari led administration is making the right impact towards boosting tertiary education. For the governor of Katsina state, governance is all about affecting the lives of the people and impacting them positively.”
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Meanwhile, the minister of state for education, Professor Anthony Anwukah, has put forward a proposal for Nigerian students to spend an extra year in specialised institutions after graduation.
Professor Anwukah's proposal was tabled at the ongoing retreat for Governing Councils of Nigerian Federal Universities, organised by the National Universities Commission (NUC) with the theme, “Elements of Statutory Governance, Procurement and Financial Accounting in Nigerian Universities.”
He said the suggestion was being made because many university graduates were not good enough to be employed by industries.
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Source: Legit.ng
