The Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Wednesday, presented N6m cheques to the six public school students who recently won the presidential debate competition in Abuja.
The governor, while presenting the cheque, noted that the gesture was a fulfilment of his administration’s pledge to give the great six one million naira each alongside a full scholarship for their first degree in any public tertiary institution in Nigeria.
The beneficiaries are Mashood Kamaldeen (Government Secondary School, Ilorin East LG); Jatto Ramatallahi (Offa Grammar School, Offa); Jimoh Abayomi Emmanuel (Tanke Community Junior Secondary School, Ilorin South); Emmanuel Chioma (St. Anthony Junior Secondary School, Ilorin East); Dolapo Mariam (Offa Grammar School, Offa); and AbdulKareem Uswat ( Okelele Junior Secondary School Ilorin East).
AbdulRazaq congratulated them and their parents on the feat, saying the government will continue to monitor their educational programme to succeed in life.
He said, “Once again, I congratulate the victorious students of the 2023 Presidential School Debate of Nigeria. We are happy about the feat. You’ve made us proud in Kwara state. We are committed to your progress, and we will continue to monitor that.”
He said billions of naira will be committed this year to various educational and hygiene programmes, such as AGILE and WASH, to aid learning and improve the safety of pupils in schools.
“We continue to make sure you, and indeed every Kwara child, have a very conducive environment to learn. That is why Kwara is one of the states that engage in the FG/World bank-supported AGILE project (Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment). We shall be making full advocacy about other programmes the state has subscribed to over the coming months as well,” he said.
“This year, billions will be invested to improve educational curriculum and infrastructure in our schools. We are taking this very seriously. We will make sure we cover most schools as we go along.
“To the teachers and parents, I urge you to keep up your support for these kids and for their education. Let us continue to strengthen our patriotism to the state and to Nigeria as a whole.”
He appreciated the management and staff of the SUBEB for what he called a remarkable improvement in their commitment to work and pledged his continued support to the agency to sustain the tempo.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, the state chairman of SUBEB, thanked the Governor for keeping his promise to the debate champions, adding that the pupils will reciprocate by bringing home another trophy in subsequent competitions.
He added that the students will represent Nigeria at the World School Debate Championship in the Republic of Serbia in Europe in July this year.
Kwara won the 63rd edition of the presidential debate in Abuja for the second time in a row last year, which involved participants from states of the federation.
