Ilorin: Kwara State Education Trust Fund (Kwara-ETF) has awarded its first scholarships to 12 outstanding pupils from public schools who will have their secondary school studies fully bankrolled under the Fund. The development brought joy to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who saw it as a realization of a vision for the community, barely two years after the Fund’s inception.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the Education Trust Fund was established in 2021 under a trustee primarily drawn from the private sector and community concerns. The Fund has garnered support from philanthropists and other organizations. During a brief orientation programme for the inaugural beneficiaries, Governor AbdulRazaq emphasized the expensive nature of developing the education system in Nigeria and called for collective efforts in funding public school education.
The scholarship recipients were selected based on their outstanding performances in various screening stages conducted by the Kwara ETF. The scholarship will cover all school expenses for their secondary education. Governor AbdulRazaq urged the public to contribute by adopting students and supporting public school funding, emphasizing that education should be a shared responsibility.
The governor praised the selection process and expressed satisfaction that the chosen pupils came from humble backgrounds, emphasizing the transparency of their selection. He announced plans to continue supporting the Trust Fund to expand its reach.
Executive Secretary for Kwara ETF, Oluwadamilola Amolegbe, detailed the selection process, stating that the 12 pupils were chosen from an initial shortlist of 640 based on merit from their performance in exams set for primary six pupils, who were beneficiaries of the digital literacy programme of KwaraLEARN. The selection was further refined through their performance in the National Common Entrance Examination and subsequent admission into Unity School.
Zainab Abdulsalam, the programme manager, underscored the commitment to Kwara ETF’s vision of building the state’s future through sustainable investments in education. She highlighted the intention to monitor the pupils’ progress and ensure the investments in education yield tangible results.
Maxwell Kolawole, a parent of one of the scholarship recipients, expressed gratitude to the government for relieving him of the financial burden of school fees and praised the selection process as transparent and commendable. He described the initiative as pro-masses and appreciated the governor’s efforts.