By MUHAMMAD LAWAL

Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi says only his state in Nigeria offers free education and scholarships to students studying within and outside the country.

Idris disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Students? Matters, Mr Sunday Dare, in Government House, Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SSA was accompanied by the National President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr Olusola Oladejo.

NAN also reports that the students were in Kebbi to inaugurate the newly elected executives of the Kebbi National Students? Association.

The Governor told the visitors that he had paid about N2.7 billion to settle the tuition fees of both students studying within Nigeria and those studying in foreign countries.

He said, ?It might interest you to note that it is only Kebbi that offers total free education in Nigeria.

?We pay tuitions fees of all our students up to secondary and tertiary institutions.

?Recently, I paid N2.7 billion tuition fees for both students studying across tertiary institutions within and outside Nigeria.?

According to Idris, his administration offer total scholarships to the students, adding, ?we are doing this to remove the stress and burden from the parents.

?Some parents may have more than three children in tertiary institutions.

?If the money is too much, some parents might not be able to shoulder the school fees especially in this period where many tertiary institutions have increased their tuition fees.

?That is why we deem it fit to shoulder the responsibility of free education, scholarships to all our students.?

Idris added that the feeding money for students across boarding schools in the state had been increased from N150m to N300 million monthly.

In line with his administration?s efforts to raise the standard of teaching and learning, the governor said the embargo on employment had been lifted, where about 5,000 qualified teachers were gainfully employed.

?To enhance the learning environment, my administration has rehabilitated 2,004 primary and secondary schools, while over 340 new ones were constructed,? he revealed.

Speaking on infrastructure, the governor lauded President Bola Tinubu for supporting the state to record tremendous achievements in roads construction.

He cited the construction of 1,008-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway as one of the legacy projects of Tinubu, expressing happiness that Kebbi would be the major benefiting state with about 280 kilometres to be constructed.

While thanking the president for revoking the 87-kilometre Koko-Zuru road contract, the governor observed that the revocation had paved the way for Kebbi to execute the project for quick delivery and it is expected to be repaid later.

Idris also commended Tinubu for his foresight to introduce students? loans scheme which was not done before in the history of Nigeria, adding that his administration was replicating the president?s Renewed Hope Agenda in the state.

Earlier, the SSA to the president on students? matters, commended the state government for implementing free education and full scholarships for students in the state.

On his part, the NANS national president applauded the state governor for the construction of four mega schools, which spread across the four Emirates of the state. (NAN)

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