Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State, has approved a ₦12.9 billion scholarship scheme to sponsor 54 indigenes of the state to study aeronautics and engineering, alongside various professional certifications, at Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management.
The Senior Technical Assistant to the governor on Print and Digital Communications, Abdulrahman Bundi, said in a statement on Friday that the training programme covers basic pilot training.
It includes 10 beneficiaries specialising in Aerospace Engineering, 11 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 11 in Mechatronics Engineering, 12 in Software Engineering, and 10 in Systems Engineering.
At a brief ceremony held at the Government House in Maiduguri on Thursday night, he said, “Zulum presented a cheque for N2.5 billion to the institution, covering the annual tuition and associated expenses, with the 5-year total package valued at N12.9 billion”
Addressing the beneficiaries, Zulum charged them to remain focused and dedicated to their studies.
He emphasised that the selection process was deliberately designed to ensure equity across the state, with two students chosen from each of Borno’s 27 Local Government Areas.
“What matters most is not just gaining admission, but how focused you will be in your studies. I advise you to remain dedicated and become good ambassadors of our state,” the governor stated.
In addition to funding their education, the governor announced an immediate financial support package of ₦500,000 per student to cover resumption logistics and other incidental expenses.
Giving an overview of the selection process, the State Commissioner for Education, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, revealed that the scholarship attracted interest from across the state.
He disclosed that the ministry received over 3,000 applications.
According to the commissioner, the large pool was initially shortlisted to 1,200 candidates, who were then subjected to a written examination, from which the final 54 successful candidates emerged.
“These programmes reflect Governor Zulum’s commitment to human capital development, youth empowerment and investment in education,” Wakilbe said.
The founder of the university, Isaac Balami, an indigene of Borno State, commended Governor Zulum for the initiative, while assuring the government that the students would receive world-class training.
He expressed confidence that they would be among those who would eventually build the first made-in-Nigeria aircraft.
The PUNCH