The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to commence disbursements of bursaries and scholarships before the end of the month of December.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had given approval for the disbursement, adding that it was in line with the continued commitment of his administration to ensure that Lagos State students continue to thrive and excel in the academic field.
“Our commitment to education across the sphere is unparalleled, but specifically, with regard to tertiary education, this administration over the past two and a half years has been deliberate about increasing the capacity of our institutions,” Bank-Olemoh said.
The Special Adviser said that despite the challenging economic situation across the country, Governor Ambode has continued to invest in a range of initiatives to upgrade the status of institutions in the State.
He recalled that in 2016, there was an increase in subvention for all the State’s tertiary institutions, while innovative programs such as Ready.Set.Work were launched to equip final year students with entrepreneurship and employability skills for the world of work.
Bank-Olemoh disclosed that to date, a total of 2,500 final year students have trained and exited into the workforce; and up 10,000 students in their penultimate year have participated in the Ready.Set.Work online program (www.readysetwork.com.ng), which qualifies them for the full-fledged program in their final year.
Besides, Bank-Olemoh added that the CodeLagos, a program aimed at teaching coding skills to one million Lagos residents, has entered its next phase, with centers opened across the State to train interested learners at no cost to them.
“These initiatives demonstrate this administration’s unalloyed commitment to the welfare of our students. In view of this administration’s investment towards their success, we urge our students to make the most of these opportunities and continue to be good ambassadors of Lagos State,” the Special Adviser said.