The Katsina State Government says it has approved the disbursement of more than N640.6 million as scholarship grants for indigent students of the state in tertiary institutions across the country.

The government said 14,443 fresh students of 2020/2021, and 33,492 continuing students of 2021/2022 academic sessions in 126 Institutions of higher learning received the grants.

Sirajo Umar, the Director Operations of the state Scholarship Board, made this known during the fourth quarter meeting of the state Social Protection Technical Working Group, TWG, on Wednesday in Katsina.

He further said that the board has proposed an upward review of scholarship allowances for students to reflect current economic realities.

“We are also planning to introduce skills based scholarships, both foreign and local,” he added.

According to him, the government also plans to explore scholarship opportunities locally and internationally to encourage more students acquire qualitative education.

Umar said the state would collaborate with development partners to support students’ education, and will introduce corporate social responsibility policy to make companies operating in the state to also support education.

The director said the operations of the board would be digitised for effective service delivery and to monitor the performance of students on government scholarship.

The Social Protection Technical Working Group meeting was supported by UNICEF, and the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to promote the state social protection policy.

Culled from Daily Nigerian