The Secretary to Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi has added values to academic standard of 150 students in public and private secondary schools in the state, with award of educational aid as scholarships.
Penpushing reports that Talabi kicked off the gestures with distribution of textbooks, school uniforms and bags among other things to the student-beneficiaries held at Oru Ijebu, Ijebu North Local Government Area of the State.
The donor at the ceremony, however, challenged parents, guardians and well-meaning individuals to contribute their quota towards improving literacy level in the state, explaining that the initiative was targeted at indigent students as well as the best students across the state whose parents cannot afford their school fees.
Penpushing further reports that Talabi noted that the beneficiaries have been carefully selected through a thorough process by the Head of the Scholarship Scheme, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, Prof. Oluwole Banjo.
‘What we have done is to ensure we reached out to the people, this scheme was intended to appoint credible people in the selection process. The leader of that team is a scholar himself, Professor Oluwole Banjo with other members selecting these students based on two major criteria’, he said.
‘Children of the less privileged who cannot afford to send their children to school as well as indigent but very intelligent students across the state. Without any equivocation, 5 of them were the best students in the State”. Talabi stated
Penpushing also reports that the government scribe said 115 students who are in public schools, 30 in private secondary schools, and 5 in higher institutions were already enrolled in his scholarship scheme noting that quest for academic excellence spurred him to embark on the project
“The quest to bequeath quality education to the younger generation as we had in the era of Baba Awolowo is what spurs and many more children are expected to be included in the scholarship programme as it progresses”, he added
Penpushing further reports that the Coordinator of the programme, Mr. Valentine Benoise who is also a Special Assistant to the Governor, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, in his reaction stated that beneficiaries are proven based on the prescribed criteria, stressing that the donor has only brightened the chances of the brilliant indigent students.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ms Olubisi Victor of Mamu Community High School, Ogun Waterside, Onabajo Erioluwa of Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo as well as Adelaja Christianah of ijebu-igbo Girls’ Grammar School, Ijebu-Igbo expressed their gratitude to the sponsor, stating that with the gesture, the donor has given them the privilege of becoming what they wish for themselves.
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