Students in Zamfara State have appealed to the government to immediately reinstate local scholarship schemes, saying many learners in tertiary institutions are struggling to cope with rising financial demands.
The National President of the Federated Association of Zamfara State Students, Nasiru Gamagiwa, raised the concern while speaking on the persistent challenges faced by undergraduates across the state.
According to him, the absence of local scholarship support has become a major burden.
“Local scholarship remains one of the biggest issues confronting our students. Hardly a day passes without someone complaining about difficulty with school registration or payments,” he explained.
Gamagaiwa, however, commended the state government for steps already taken to support education, including the clearance of outstanding WAEC and NECO fees, as well as the funding of foreign scholarships for Zamfara indigenes studying in India and Cyprus.
He added that the proposal to resume local scholarships had already been prepared and was awaiting the governor’s final approval. Once implemented, he said, more young people would be encouraged to pursue tertiary education.
The Executive Secretary of the State Scholarship Board, Prof. Rashida Liman, also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to improving access to education. She stated that Governor Dauda Lawal places high priority on the academic development of Zamfara youths.
She noted that the reintroduction of local scholarships was already in progress and would begin soon.
“We want students across the state to have hope again. The governor is passionate about transforming the education sector, and the scholarship scheme will soon commence,” she assured.
Liman highlighted recent government efforts, including full scholarships awarded to indigenes pursuing computer science and medical programmes at a university in Edo State.
She added that the state government was determined to expand opportunities for students, and local scholarship payments within Nigeria would resume shortly without further delay.