The Lagos State Ministry of Education has disbursed special local scholarships worth N23,480,000 to 60 blind students and 366 others.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh presented the recipients with their cheques in his office with support from Mrs Omautan Jegede, the Director, Lagos State Scholarship Board (LSSB).
Reports noted that the blind students from the School of the Blind, Oshodi, got N3,000,000; 34 sportsmen who have won for Lagos in sporting events, got N6, 880,000, after providing evidence of admission into tertiary institutions; and 332 students of the Lagos State College of Health Technology, Yaba, were given N13,600,000.
In his speech, while thanking the government, the Principal of the school, Mr Shola Ogunsiji, said the scholarship would go a long way to help the school educate and rehabilitate the students, some of whom became blind as a result of accidents or illnesses.
Bank-Olemoh said the government is still giving scholarships despite the harsh economy because it prioritises education. He said the three categories of recipients that got the scholarship were proof that the government cares for all students.
“We have demonstrated as a state that we are true trustees of the society. You don’t have to know anybody to access our scholarship scheme. You have never heard that Lagos State scholars have not being paid. Lagos has students on foreign scholarship and it has not happened that they were not paid,” he said.
Bank-Olemoh also spoke of government’s plans to improve public library as well as provide an e-knowledge bank accessible to various categories of learners. The students, however, expressed gratitude to the government for putting a smile on their faces.
