By Baban Khalid
The Bauchi state government under the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed has awarded scholarships valued at N2,100,882,491 to qualified Bauchi indigenes studying in tertiary institutions within Nigeria and abroad between the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.
Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Scholarship Board, Dr. Mahmoud A. Garba, disclosed this during a press briefing on Wednesday, noting that the Board remained committed to promoting educational development through transparent and efficient scholarship administration.
While giving a breakdown of the scholarship disbursement, Dr. Garba revealed that the total awards comprise N1,622,675,820 for local scholarships and N181,200,000 plus $204,811 (equivalent to N297,006,671.65) for foreign scholarships.
According to him, in view of the prevailing economic realities, Governor Bala Mohammed approved a 100 percent upward review of the 2023/2024 scholarship rates for all categories of students as Degree programme from N22,000.00 to N44,000.00 and NCE/Diploma from N18,000.00 to N36,000.00 while students of Certificate get additional scholarship from N12,000.00 to N24,000.00.
“To this end, His Excellency approved a total sum of N945,928,000.00 to 22,423 students in 2023/2024,” he added.
He added that to ensure accountability, the Board constituted a disbursement committee headed by the State Accountant General. So far, N850,000,000 has been successfully paid to 21,901 students through an engaged consultant.
“You may wish to note that the Board is currently receiving complaints from students who were not able to be paid due to some errors in the data they earlier submitted. These are mainly due to wrong Bank Verification Number (BVN), account number, cell phone number and quoting wrong Academic year, Yet there are others who were rejected by the Committee as they were found to be civil servants.
“The complaints received are being subjected to security and if verified will be forwarded to the Committee for payment,” he added.
On the payment of foreign students and related interventions, he explained that the Board provided financial support to 50 students studying in China, and completed the payment of return tickets for 50 students in Algeria under the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation. Additional support was also extended to Bauchi students studying in Morocco and Uganda.
Dr. Garba added that the Board also funded several education-related activities, including a sensitisation workshop, the hosting of the Forum of Northern Scholarship Boards, the Northeast Scholarship Boards Meeting, NUBASS Week, a students’ security summit, and support to NANS for its summit, among others.
While outlining some of the challenges facing the Board, he explained that only one of the Board’s two vehicles is currently roadworthy, making it difficult to effectively carry out verification, payment, and monitoring exercises.
He also noted a shortage of junior staff, inadequate and poorly furnished office accommodation, and a general lack of basic work infrastructure, including functional photocopiers, desktop computers, decent office furniture, and essential ICT equipment.
The board recommended the regular release of students’ scholarship funds and running costs to advance education as a key driver of future economic development, ensuring effective and efficient service delivery.
It also called on the state government to provide the Board with new vehicles to replace the old ones, and to fully automate the Bauchi State Scholarship Board to improve accountability, proper documentation, payment efficiency, and seamless communication with foreign and local scholarship donor agencies, universities, and other institutions responsible for securing admission slots for indigenes.
The chairman appealed to students, parents, and the general public to contact the Board with any genuine complaints or for clarification on issues related to scholarships.
He further appreciated and commended the support of Governor Senator Abdulkadir Bala Mohammed, which he said made the Board’s remarkable achievements possible.
He added that the Board’s primary functions include the payment of scholarships; liaising with critical stakeholders in the education sector, such as donor agencies, philanthropists, and institutions to secure admissions and scholarships for qualified students; monitoring and evaluating students’ performance in tertiary institutions; and coordinating, counselling, and mentoring students both individually and through their unions.
