By Abubakar Muhammad (9NEWS NIGERIA, NORTHEAST)
Four students in Bauchi State have gotten cash donations from the state government for excelling in Join Admissions and Matriculation Board examination.
The students, Kawthar Shehu, Geoffrey Yakubu, Abdullahi Garba and Magaji Umar emerged with the highest scores in JAMB examination in the state.
With the highest score, Kawthar has 348 while Geoffrey and Abdullahi got 347 each, and Magaji earn 333 points.
They were presented with the cash donations by the state governor, Bala Mohammed on Tuesday.
Represented by Yehuza Adamu, the state Head of Civil Service, Governor Muhammmad disclosed that each student is awarded with N1 million.
He said said that the gesture was to encourage others to work hard and excell in their academic pursuits.
He added that the donation will also help the awardess facilitate their admission into various choices in higher education.
“The gesture has shown the commitment of the state government in investing in human capital development.
“Human capital development is the antidote for every development and If you want to destroy a generation, a country or a nation, just destroy their education system and that’s all. No need to carry a gun or any ammunition.
“Once the people are not educated, they are already destroyed and this is why the government has been working round the clock to see that education is not only given the attention but also, has been given the greatest priority.
“If somebody can sit in Bauchi state and score 348, that tells you that our education is working and if these four can do it, it means we have so many others that have the potential to do it also,” he explained.
While congratulating the students, he requested the Ministry of Education to go and fetch more outstanding students that excelled in various educational pursuit.
Also speaking, Ali Babayo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, lauded the governor for creating an enabling environment for the implementation of all the education policies in the state.
“The journey started some months ago when we presented our request to the JAMB office to give us the names of four outstanding students of Bauchi state indigenes that performed wonderfully in the 2024 examination.
“They honoured our request and submitted to us the names of the four students who scored the highest mark in the JAMB examination.
“This gesture is to encourage the students and set a good example for others to emulate, especially those who are about to sit for the same examination,” he said.
