Maiduguri – The Borno State Government in collaboration with Ahfad University for Women in Sudan has concluded plans to offer scholarship to 100 female students to pursue degree courses at the institution.
Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser to Gov. Kashim Shettima on Communication and Strategy made the announcement in a statement on Friday in Maiduguri.
Gusau said the development followed an agreement after a meeting between the university authorities and officials of the State Government in Khartoun, Sudan.
He said that both the State Government and the university would sponsor 50 female students each under the agreement.
“The scholarship followed an agreement reached between Shettima and the President of Ahfad University, Prof. Gasim Badri, when the governor led a delegation to the school in Khartoum.
“After persuasions by the governor, highlighting challenges faced by the state as a result of the negative impacts of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has adversely affected the educational sector, both parties agreed that 100 female students of the state are to be admitted into the school in the next academic session on 50-50 scholarship basis,” Gusau said.
He explained that students offered scholarship by the university were free to study degree courses in any field, while those to be sponsored by the State Government would be restricted to medical science courses.
“Badri announced the award of scholarship to 50 female students to pursue different degree courses, while Shettima announced that the State Government will sponsor 50 girls to pursue degree programmes in medical sciences at the university,” Gusau said.
He added: “the governor, who was accompanied by the Charge D’ Affairs and Nigeria’s acting Ambassador to Sudan, Mr Abu Ibrahim, described his meeting with the president of the university as the highest point of his visit to Sudan.” (NAN)
