First Lady Oluremi Tinubu expressed her sadness Saturday in Abuja that many young Nigerians cannot afford tertiary education.
He said as much when 43 college scholarships were awarded through his Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
The first lady at the launch ceremony of the initiative said that each beneficiary would receive 4 million naira for four academic sessions and a new laptop.
The first lady further said that the RHI scholarship was a transformational plan that promised to change lives and shape the destiny of young people across the country.
He said it was a collective responsibility of the population to provide every child with a quality education and to give them the opportunity to help young people reach their full potential, regardless of their background.
“It is disheartening to know that many young people across our country cannot afford the cost of tertiary education due to financial constraints,” said Ms. Tinubu.
However, she recognized that quality education was not only a fundamental right of all children, but a key to unlocking the doors to a bright future and helping to empower individual families and entire communities.
“What we are witnessing today is done to support and complement the push by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to make tertiary education accessible, especially with the introduction of a student loan scheme.
“The RHI scholarship program is a commitment and a promise that we make today to identify with young people, to tell them that their dreams and aspirations matter.
“Through this program we seek to not only provide financial assistance but also foster an environment where talent is nurtured and potential is recognized,” he said.
The first lady said that the organization, through the scholarship plan, envisioned a country where all children, regardless of their circumstances, could access the best education.
“This scholarship aims to arouse curiosity, spark innovation, and foster a love of learning that will transcend a generation; therefore, I urge all the beneficiaries to study hard, work hard and make the most of the opportunity that is offered to them today”, he said.
He also recognized the stakeholders and asked well-meaning Nigerians to support RHI in all its goals, so that it can reach many Nigerians and make life easier for people.
“This initiative is not an isolated effort, it is a collective effort that requires the participation of all the actors; I am grateful to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the donation of 50 laptops in support of the Renewed Hope Initiative,” he said.
Ms. Tinubu further congratulated all the coordinators, including the wives of the governors, the wives of the heads of service and other organizations for their support in ensuring that the program became a reality.
Some of the awardees included Adijat Ayodele from Kwara, Daniel Sunmonu from Ekiti, Eze Ijeoma from Anambra and Usman Sanni, a chemistry student from the Federal University of Dutsimma, Katsina.
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The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that the recipients came from all 36 states of the Federation, including the FCT, with criteria for each awardee to be nominated by their respective state governors.
Other criteria include someone with proof of admission to any of Nigeria’s tertiary education institutions, a citizen with good academic qualifications, and one who maintains a GPA of 3:0 or higher.
(YAYA)
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Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; It is disappointing that many young Nigerians cannot afford tertiary education.