Mr Hammed Idris, Councillor, representing Airways Ward, Itire Ikate Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, has offered free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms to 63 indigent youths in the area.
Idris, also the Leader of the Council’s Legislative Arm, made the disclosure in his remarks during the screening of the beneficiaries on Tuesday.
According to him, education is the best legacy for upcoming generations.
He said that no qualified candidate who applied to get the free form would be excluded from benefitting based on the terms of qualification.
“Thoroughness without bias were the guiding words for the screening committee to ensure that no qualified candidate who applied was excluded.
“The screening was based on the terms of qualification – a minimum of five ‘O’ Level credits including English and Mathematics,” he said.
Idris also offered N50,000 annual bursary to any candidate able to score above 250 in the examination and secures admission into any higher institution of learning in the country.
“This is a major way to encourage our youth to focus on their education rather than engaging in social vices.
“I believe this little gesture would go a long way in helping the indigents youths further their studies in higher institutions of learning,” the councilor said.
Idris added that plans were on the way to offer a positive educational template to sponsor deserving prospective tertiary education seekers in the local government.
Mrs Funke Adebayo, a parent of one of the beneficiary students, thanked the leader of the council’s legislative arm for giving the youths opportunity to further their studies.
Ms Yinka Usman, one of the beneficiaries also thanked the councillor for his kind gesture of offering the free UTME forms.