Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum has approved the sum of N1.3 billion in scholarship for 997 nursing and midwifery students who are indigenes of the state.
The state’s scholarship programme said it received 1,080 nominations, 40 from each of the 27 local government areas of the state ,out of which 997 passed an entrance examination to qualify as beneficiaries of the scholarship.
The governor launched the scholarship programme on Wednesday at the College of Nursing and Midwifery in Maiduguri.
Zulum noted that with the scholarship, the beneficiaries would, on graduation, bridge the workforce demands in the state’s healthcare service delivery due to the increasing population growth.
“The government has allocated a total of ₦1,305,189,000 for scholarships, with a breakdown of ₦124,149,000 earmarked for tuition fees.
“The remaining ₦1,181,040,000 will be disbursed as a monthly stipend of ₦30,000 to each beneficiary throughout their studies,” Governor Zulum said.
The Governor further stated that his administration was constructing two colleges of nursing, one in the north and another in the Southern parts of the state.
He assured that the two colleges would be completed and opened for academic activities in 2024.
Highlighting the government’s efforts, the Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Wakilbe, disclosed that from May 29, 2019 to date, Zulum’s administration had approved over N6 billion for scholarship with N2.7 billion of that amount approved from May 29, 2023 to date.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has also awarded N201 million bursary allowance to 2,010 students of the Maiduguri College of Nursing who had not benefited from the scholarship.
The governor directed that each of the 2,010 nursing and midwifery students be credited with the bursary allowance of N100,000.
Zulum also commissioned a lecture theatre complex and a 3,000 people-capacity multipurpose hall for the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Maiduguri.
The governor also announced automatic employment for the 997 beneficiaries and other nursing students who had excelled academically, on completion of their studies.
The Nursing Council of Nigeria (NCN) commended the governor for his commitment to improving nursing practice in Borno, noting that the scholarship was first of its kind and so far the largest in Nigeria.
The Registrar of the Council, Dr Farouk Umar Abubakar, who was represented by the Director of Standard and Accreditation, Alhassan Ndagi, gave the commendation in his goodwill message at the flag-off of the scholarship in Maiduguri.
The Registrar applauded the performance of the nursing students from Borno, stating that students from Borno score more than 90 percent every year at the national examinations.
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