Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved ₦400 million for bursaries, scholarships and other financial assistance for 13,360 students of Ondo State origin studying in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The programme was officially launched on Tuesday, September 22, at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure.
The beneficiaries include 11,907 bursary recipients, 614 scholarship beneficiaries, 239 Law School students, 500 medical students undergoing clinical training and 100 physically challenged students.
Aiyedatiwa said the intervention was aimed at easing the financial burden on students and ensuring that economic difficulties did not prevent deserving young people from pursuing their education.
He described education as a strategic investment in the future of Ondo State and said it remained a key part of his administration’s “OUR EASE” development agenda.
The governor also disclosed that the state had commenced the distribution of digital tablets to students in 50 public schools as part of its Digital Literacy Programme.
He said efforts were also underway to transform Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, into the proposed University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Owo, while the government had approved the establishment of a College of Nursing at Igbokoda and a College of Education at Aboto.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, disclosed that the governor had additionally released ₦633.918 million to pay 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration fees for students in public secondary schools across the state.
According to the Ondo State Scholarship Board, bursary beneficiaries will receive ₦20,000 each, while scholarship recipients, Law School students and medical students undergoing clinical training will receive ₦100,000 each. Physically challenged beneficiaries will receive ₦75,000 each.
The governor urged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously, remain disciplined and focused on their studies, and uphold values that would make them good ambassadors of Ondo State.
