From Hauwa'u Mohammed keffi
Sen. Ahmed Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa West) through his Education Foundation has disbursed 2024 West African Examination Council (WAEC) registration fees to 744 less privileged students in public schools in his senatorial zone.
Mallam Ismaila Nuhu, Chairman, 2024 WAEC Sponsorship Committee, Sen. Ahmed Wadada Education Foundation made this known in Karu local government area Secretariat on Saturday during the disbursement of the fees to the students.
According to Nuhu, the gesture is borne out of the compassion of Sen. Ahmed Wadada to support less privileged students in public schools by paying for their WAEC registration fees so they can write their examinations and fulfil their dreams.
He said 744 students were selected across the Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone comprising Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto local government areas with a budget of about N25 million earmarked for the education support for the students.
"This is a wonderful initiative by the distinguished senator because we discovered that we will have brilliant students qualified to write for WAEC but cannot only because of this little amount of money.
"So the senator thought it wise to intervene and support those unable to pay their fees. This is just a start. We understand that the WAEC registration fees is N33, 600 per candidate and Distinguished senator Wadada released N25 million for this gesture.
"So if you divide fees by the amount released by the senator, you will get 744 slots. That is the number of students to be supported across the five local government areas in the Senatorial Zone," he said.
Nuhu however pointed out that merit in terms of academic performance of the less privileged students was prioritized in the selection of those to benefit with all the electoral wards in the Senatorial Zone benefiting from the gesture.
He further explained that out of the 744 slots earmarked for the students, each local government got 134 slots making it a total of 670 while the remaining slots were offered to opinion and political leaders for their candidates eligible for the 2024 WAEC examinations.
Nuhu who then assured that the gesture will be sustained and the number of students to be supported increased in future exercises urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture of the senator by doing well in their examinations.
Ina goodwill message, Mr James Thomas, Chairman of the area represented by Mr Emmanuel Cheto, Supervisory Councillor, Social Services in Karu LGA lauded the Senator and described the gesture as an impactful philanthropic effort that will help shape the future of the students positively.
"Many before him have been senators but none of them have thought of this noble gesture. We in Karu are fully in support of his effort and pray that the good effort that he has started, he will surely complete it," he said.
Speaking in an interview, Mrs Mercy Ayuba, Acting Chief Evaluator of Education (CEE) in Nasarawa local government area applauded the senator for the gesture and called on student beneficiaries of the initiative to reciprocate the gesture by excelling in their forthcoming WAEC examinations.
"Our expectations from the students in response to this noble gesture is that they will come out in flying colours.
"However I want to urge parents not to tamper with the money given to these children. If they do, it is future of their children they are tampering with," she said.
In another interview, Miss Hafsat Yunusa, a beneficiary from Government Secondary School, Kuru in Toto local government area also appreciated the senator and said the gesture was the first time any lawmaker had made efforts to support her education.
"I promise to use it for the purpose for which the money was given to me. I really appreciate what the senator has done for me. I will never forget and God will continue to reward him," she added.
Our correspondent reports that the committee also visited Keffi and Kokona local government areas and disbursed the WAEC registration fees to students there.
