By Muhammed Sodangi
Let me begin with the famous saying of the South African anti-apartheid revolutionary leader, Nelson Mandela, who said, “It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
On August 23, 2023, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, approved the payment of ₦700 million to 7,000 Kano indigenous students at Bayero University, Kano.
This commendable gesture has put smiles on the faces of a great number of students who were utterly struggling for the survival of their academic pursuits at the time.
Under your stewardship, Your Excellency, approximately 550 indigent students from Kano State were sponsored to travel overseas for a master’s scholarship program.
Thus, it is a clear testimony that the education sector has been prioritized by investing heavily in the future leaders of our state.
However, students studying at various universities outside the state risk deferment or withdrawal for not settling their tuition fees as promised by the Kano State government.
On March 2, 2024, the Kano governor held a meeting with the “Joint Consultative Forum of Kano Universities Students” to address the lingering issue regarding the payment of their tuition fees.
A few days later, a screening team from the scholarship board was dispatched to various universities, but no progress has been recorded yet.
Your Excellency, many students have missed tests and are on the brink of missing exams. We are thus calling on your intervention as soon as possible.
Thank you.