Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has approved an N1.3 billion scholarship for 997 nursing and midwifery students who are indigenes of the state.
The scholarship program received about 1,080 nominations, 40 from each of the 27 local government areas of the state. However, after an entrance examination, 997 passed and qualified to benefit from the scholarship.
The Governor launched the scholarship program on Wednesday at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Maiduguri.
Zulum noted that with the scholarship, the beneficiaries would, on graduation, bridge the workforce demands in the state’s healthcare service delivery due to the increasing population growth.
He said: “The government has allocated a total of ₦1,305,189,000 for scholarships, with a breakdown of ₦124,149,000 earmarked for tuition fees.
“The remaining ₦1,181,040,000 will be disbursed as a monthly stipend of ₦30,000 to each beneficiary throughout their studies.”
Governor Zulum further stated that his administration was constructing two colleges of nursing, one in the northern part of the state and the other 1 in the southern part.
He assured that the two colleges would be completed and opened for academic activities this year.
Highlighting the government’s efforts, the Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, disclosed that from May 29 May 2019, to date, Zulum’s administration had approved over N6 billion for scholarships with N2.7 billion of that amount approved from May 29, 2023 to date.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has awarded an N201 million bursary allowance to 2,010 students of the Maiduguri College of Nursing who had not benefited from the scholarship.
The governor directed that each of the 2,010 nursing and midwifery students be credited with the bursary allowance of N100,000.
Zulum also commissioned a lecture theatre complex and a 3,000 people-capacity multipurpose hall for the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Maiduguri.
The governor also announced automatic employment for the 997 beneficiaries and other nursing students who had excelled academically, on completion of their studies.
The Nursing Council of Nigeria (NCN) has commended the Borno State Governor for his commitment to improving nursing practice in Borno, noting that the scholarship awarded by the governor on Wednesday was the first of its kind and so far the largest in Nigeria.
The Registrar of the Council, Dr Farouk Umar Abubakar, who was represented by the Director of Standard and Accreditation, Alhassan Ndagi, gave the commendation while delivering a goodwill message at the flag-off of the N1.3 billion scholarship for nursing and midwifery students in Maiduguri.
The register applauded the performance of the nursing students from Borno, stating that every year at the national examinations, students from Borno score more than 90 percent.
