The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has approved the release of N1 billion for the payment of registration fees and upkeep allowances to the sponsored state students both within and outside the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Scholarship Board, Bello Isah disclosed this in a statement that he personally signed and made available to members of the press in the state.
The breakdown of the amount is as follows according to the permanent secretary includes N 188.5 million for the payment of registration fees to 5643 state students in Sokoto State University (SSU).
It also includes N312.9 million for 7096 students in Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDUS) for both fresh and returning students of the two institutions
The governor further approves $89100 and £15,000 for the payment of tuition and upkeep allowances to some regular students in various institutions in London, Canada and in other countries across the World.
Others include $570,000 equivalent to ( N342,000 138 ) for the payment of tuition and upkeep allowances for both new students studying various medical courses in the Republic of Sudan.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the Governor had approved the redeployment of the evacuated Ukraine students to another country where they will continue with their studies adding that he and one other officer will soon leave on a facility tour to Sudan, Egypt and Turkey in order to ascertain the best institutions as part of the preparation for their redeployment.
He said the Governor has approved the payment of some sponsored continuing students that are studying Medicine in Sudan, Nursing at an American university in the Niger Republic and Computer Engineering at an international university in Cyprus.
He also disclosed that three state indigenes were sponsored to study two year standard pilot course at the international aviation college Ilorin, Kwara state, a sum of N42.1m will be spent by the government for their tuition and upkeep allowances during the period.
Isah also said that the Governor had directed the immediate absorption of 17 graduates of the french language from Abdou Mummuni university Niamey into the state civil service in order to enhance the teaching of the language in our secondary schools adding that another set of 20 will soon be sponsored by the state government to the institution to study the French language.
The permanent secretary however commends the effort of the Governor in uplifting the standard of education in the state.
He appealed to the affected students both within and outside the country to justify the huge investment of the government in them by redoubling effort in their studies and being ready to serve the state after their studies.