The Adamawa State governor, Umaru Fintiri, has announced his government will provide free university education to female students in the state who score 9 credits in Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE). The governor made the announcement when he hosted parents of the 21 pioneer benefiting students of what he described as “the fulfilment of my campaign promise.”
Fintiri said the initiative underscores the fulfilment of one of his campaign promises, and his ambition to drive female gender education, with particular focus on mitigating social vices.
He argued that there’s a direct correlation between lack of education and criminality.
The governor had during his campaign to seek reelection, promised, “One female student with nine credits and above would be selected in the 21 Local Government Areas of the state to start with.
“Now it’s no longer restricted, as many girls who score nine credits and above are qualified to attend any public university in Nigeria with our scholarship.
“Like any of our programmes, it should be a continuous one; any female student with nine credits and above, irrespective of her background, irrespective of where she comes from, she should go to a public university for free.
“Therefore, acting Executive Secretary (of state scholarship board), I’m directing you to commence the process of selecting the next batch of female candidates.”
“I’ve declared it as a policy, it should be a continuous programme. We must educate our girls because they’re the future mothers,” Fintiri said.
The governor praised the performance of students from his state in the recently concluded external examinations, saying “I’m glad to announce that it is gratifying that Adamawa came second to Abia in the last WAEC (West African Extermination Council) examination. And you all know that this happened because of our decision to sustain the payment of the fees so as to relieve the parents of the candidates.”
