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Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state Thursday launched the state’s higher education loan scheme.
Speaking at the official launching of the event in Yenagoa, the state capital the Governor restated his commitment to ensuring proper funding of education in the state,assuring that following the premium he attaches on education his administration has built modern and well furnished educational infrastructure in the state.
The Governor noted that with the believe in the fact that not every body could afford the cost of education, his administration established the higher education loan scheme so that indigent, intelligent Bayelsa could apply for the loan for their educational pursuit.
“Though not all Bayelsans can take the loan, those indigent and intelligent ones from the state could come to the board and apply for this interest free loann to go to school.Because of our love for education we have built modern boarding schools,the Ijaw national Academy and others will in no distant time produce innovative,very intelligent leaders of our state and Ijaw land.The only way to fight oppression,poverty and ignorance is through education,and that is why we built schools and schools and have also established more universities and set the education trust fund and the education loan scheme.” He said
Governor Dickson announced N100 million donation to add to an already existing N250 million which according to the board they have earlier sought out,reiterating that Bayelsans make good use of the opportunity provided by the scheme.
Also speaking,chairman of the launching ceremony and pro-chancellor,Bayelsa State Medical University,Professor Nimi Briggs said education is the best legacy to leave behind for the future generation.
The former Vice-chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt stated that in the Nigeria nation where people from this part of the country are disadvantaged for no obvious reasons,the only means through which the people here could make their case known is by bridging the academic gap and barriers to academic pursuit.
The former Don lauded Governor Dickson for setting the pace for other states to follow,enjoining beneficiaries to make judicious use of the loans they would acquire for their educational development.
Also speaking,the state commissioner for Education, Dr. Jonathan Obuebite described Governor Dickson as compassionate and Education friendly leader.
Obuebite asserted that following the Governor’s commitment at taking the state out of the cadre of educational less developed states to educationally advanced ones,the state indigines seating for the West African Examination council and other national examinations are now performing better,saying the Governor’s investment in the sector is paying off as a result of recent ratings.
Speaking to Newsmen shortly after the event,the board chairman and former provost,Isaac Jasper Boro college of Education,Sagbama,professor Saviour
Agoro commended the Governor for the initiative.He enjoined Bayelsans to take advantage of the scheme to pursue their academics.
