Kano spends N12b on overseas scholarships – Kwankwaso

By Maryam Garba Hassan

Kano state government has within three years, spent about N12 billion to sponsor 2,600 students from the state to study abroad, the state governor, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso has disclosed.

A statement issued yesterday by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Relations,

Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye, Kwankwaso gave the indication while sending forth additional 566 students to some foreign universities for undergraduate and post graduate courses, under his administration’s special overseas scholarship scheme, held in the state Government House at the weekend.

The governor noted that each state government can do so if it can appropriately and prudently manage its income, explaining that his government was able to archive much in the sector of education and other competing sectors because of careful planning, the statement added.

On the 566 foreign students, he said N1, 820,789,550 billion was allocated for their tuition fees, accommodation and allowances, explaining that out of the 566 students going for further studies under batch 505 of the government’s scholarship scheme, 181 are going to International University of East Africa, Uganda for degree in computer science and information technology.

 According to him, 135 students would proceed to at Al-Mansurah University, Egypt to pursue degree programmes in Anesthetic Nursing and Operative Nursing while 250 students secured admission for masters’ degrees in various foreign universities.

The statement further said Kwankwaso reassured Kano students presently on foreign scholarships that all their schools and personal entitlements would be settled before the expiration of his tenure, hinting that the five year course fees of 82 medical students and four year bills for pharmacy students in India were paid in order not to have their studies interrupted.

The governor urged beneficiaries of the scholarships to be good ambassadors for Nigeria, Kano and Kwankwasiyya movement, noting with delight that of all the Kano indigenes sent abroad, no one was accused of misbehaving by their respective schools authorities.

He disclosed that one of the students sponsored to train as pilots in Jordan has set an exceptional record of scoring high grades in the final examination, while in the International University of East Africa, Kampala, over 50 students got first class degrees.

He urged other recipients of government’s scholarship to emulate their counterparts that passed their examinations with flying colors to justify the huge expenditure in their education.