Awka Development Union-Nigeria (ADUN) said it was committing the sum of N2 million for youth empowerment and student scholarship for the 2019 academic year.
The President General of the organisation, Chief Amobi Nwokafor, dropped the hint in Awka, the state capital, while presenting cash awards to the three best schools in the metropolis.
He explained that education remained the priority of his administration.
He said the scholarship was targeted at fighting cultism and refocusing the mind of the students towards excellence by shunning vices capable of undermining their future.
Nwokafor recalled the empowerment programme the body organised last year where no fewer than 15 public and mission secondary schools with over 1,500 students from the select secondary schools participated.
“During the maiden edition tagged; ‘Education endowment scholarship’, 25 exceptional students from Awka town emerged winners and were rewarded with cash prices.
“The three best participating schools; St John of God Secondary School, Igwebuike Grammar school, and Girls’ Secondary school, Awka were promised cash prices.”
Presenting the cash award, Nwokafor said the event was aimed at redeeming the pledge made last year as well as announce date for the commencement of the 2019 edition of the programme.
He said, “When we assumed office about three years ago, we made a lot of pledges and promises to our people.
“One is that we want to dedicate ourselves to the education of our people because the greatest asset we have is in our children.
“If you train a child today, tomorrow he will be available to train others. It’s like a relay race.
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“It was based on that that we organised a programme last year where we gave about 50 students scholarship. The competition was organised according to schools in Awka.
“These schools we honoured today are the schools that took first to third positions during the competition. We arrived at this, depending on the number of students that the school produced during the competition.”
Expressing excitement that preparations for the year’s competition had already commenced, the PG announced that over 100 students would be participating.
“We want them to have endowment in the name of Awka indigenes and those who have done very well in their areas of callings.
“The idea is that if Awka Development Union is able to give us 100 students scholarship in a year, other town unions will emulate us.
“By the time other town unions in the state do the same, over 1million students will be given scholarship in the state and that would have brought further development in the state and ensure we have good representation everywhere in the future,” he said.
Responding, Deputy Chairman, Post Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC) and member-in-charge of Awka zone, Lady Patty Offiah praised the PG for redeeming the pledge made to students and schools.
She assured of maximum cooperation and collaboration in the second edition of the programme.
Speaking on behalf of other schools, the Principal of St John of God Secondary school, Lady Anthonia Nwanekie called for sustenance of the programme.
She was optimistic that the gesture would continue to spur students to work harder and achieve excellence in their academic pursuits.
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