The Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has stated that the 167 foreign-trained graduates supported by his administration will benefit the state’s health and other key areas.
On Saturday, Buni’s Director-General of Press and Media Affairs, Mamman Mohammed, issued a statement in Damaturu.
According to the Nigerian News Agency, the state government supported 233 students known as “Yobe scholars” in 2020 to study specialised courses in India.
According to the statement, the governor was represented by the Speaker of the Yobe House of Assembly, Buba Mashio remarked this while attending the graduation ceremony of students from five Indian universities.
Graduates were trained in medical laboratory science, pharmacy, radiography, physiotherapy, optometry, computer science, and engineering, among other fields.
“A total of 63 students were sponsored to GD Goenka University, of which 58 have graduated and five are currently pursuing their studies, and 73 of the 84 students supported to Integral University have graduated, with 11 remaining.
“The state government also funded 22 students at Kalinga University, who have all graduated, while one student at PP Savani University has also graduated, along with 24 others who were later admitted to the university to continue their studies.
“There are currently 10 state students at DIT University, 13 at VGU University, and 13 others at Glocal University still pursuing their studies.”
The governor’s adviser stated that the number of optometrists trained and supported by the state in the last four years exceeded those trained since the state’s inception by more than 400 percent.
The number of chemists trained in the previous four years is 400% higher than since the state’s inception in 1991.
According to the statement, Buni congratulated the graduates for clearing their exams with flying colours and urged them to be dedicated to their work wherever they were. It added that the Nigerian High Commission in India praised Yobe’s scholarship plan.
In Essence
Sending students abroad, particularly to Indian universities known for their strong emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, provides them with high-quality training and exposure to global standards. This experience not only enhances their technical skills but also broadens their perspectives, which can be beneficial when they return to contribute to the state’s development.
The recognition by the Nigerian High Commission in India of Yobe’s scholarship plan underscores the program’s success and the positive impact it is expected to have. Governor Buni’s encouragement to the graduates to be dedicated in their work is an important reminder of the responsibility they carry as beneficiaries of public funds and as future leaders in their respective fields.
