The Plateau State Government on Thursday said it disbursed N900 million as scholarship to students in the state in the last four years.
The Commissioner for Education, Mr. Athanasius Dashe, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos said that those to benefit from the scholarship were undergraduates and post-graduate students in approved institutions.
He said that those in specialized institutions such as the Nigerian Law School, College of Aviation, Maritime Academy and the French Immersion Programme in Badagry, Lagos would also benefit.
He said special scholarships had also been given to students with disabilities as part of efforts to encourage them to strive toward excellence in spite of the challenges.
Dashe, who reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to education, said N3 billion was paid in counterpart funding to facilitate access to funds meant for the development of primary schools.
The commissioner said more than 400,000 text books had been shared among primary schools in core subjects like English, Mathematics and sciences, while additional 288,420 textbooks and instructional materials had been procured for Junior Secondary Schools.
He said that contracts had been awarded for the construction of 500 classrooms, while contracts had also been awarded for the renovation of classrooms in 56 schools.
Dashe said that government was already sinking N394 million into new buildings and renovations of ailing structures in the Government Technical College, Bukuru.
He said the sum of N5.74 billion would be sunk into renewing some structures in five selected secondary schools in each senatorial district.
To meet the demand for quality education, he said that 500 teachers were recruited with emphasis on science and mathematics in the last four years.
He said that 672 teachers in mathematics and English also undertook various special trainings.
He particularly commended the efforts of Gov. Jonah Jang that ensured the reopening of the Plateau State University, Bokos.
The commissioner disclosed that N67 million was spent to clear outstanding staff entitlements, while N100 million was given to the school as takeoff grant.
He said N450 million was given to the university as a special grant to enable it resume full activities after more than about three years of closure.
“With that grant, the university was able to repair damaged facilities like student centre, Radio House, the Chapel, laboratories, classrooms, hostels and Senate Chambers,” he said.
Dashe expressed satisfaction that the school had been able to access funds from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETF) to the tune of N105 million.
He said the Nigeria Communications Commission had supported the institution with 110 laptops and 100 desk tops.
He promised that government would sustain its focus toward quality education and called for the support of all stakeholders for a better Nigeria.