I sincerely appreciate Governor Ododo for his commitment to improving our education system and for being a leader who listens. Sometimes, I ask myself : Did Governor Ododo declare a state of emergency on education?
From his swift response in rescuing the kidnapped CUSTECH students to his continuous efforts in educational development, Governor Ododo has consistently brought us groundbreaking progress in the sector. He addressed the concerns of CUSTECH students regarding high accommodation fees and abolished the mandatory Tax Clearance Certificate requirement for student registration. I can confidently call him the Students’ Friendly Governor.
Throughout my undergraduate program, I often heard the term student bursary but never fully understood its benefits. Despite paying ₦1000 to register for it, my efforts were in vain. However, Governor Ododo has ensured that Kogi State indigenes benefit from bursaries, just as students from other states do—especially those from the far North. I have seen screenshots of alerts from students receiving tens of thousands of naira in bursary payments—funds disbursed seamlessly.
I thought this was enough, but the student-friendly governor went further, stating that this was just the beginning. He has also covered WAEC, JAMB, BECE, and Common Entrance fees for all indigenous students of Kogi State. With such outstanding efforts, I believe that one day, he may declare free education in Kogi State.
Sir, I want to draw your attention to an important issue and appeal for your intervention, as you have done in the past. The core objective of making education affordable for Kogites is to relieve the financial burden on parents—especially in these harsh economic times—and to encourage education at all levels.
However, there is a condition attached to the free WAEC initiative that needs to be reconsidered. Currently, students who transferred to another public secondary school in SS1 are ineligible for the free WAEC sponsorship. This initiative is mainly for the less privileged, as vulnerable children are primarily in private schools, not public ones.
There are many legitimate reasons why a student may need to transfer schools. Some lose their parents and must relocate to live with relatives who would be taking care of them, this may require changing of school. Some are housemaids whose circumstances can force them to move unexpectedly. I even heard of a student who is a school prefect but was denied free WAEC registration simply because he transferred in SS1. Under the current policy, only students who wrote their Junior WAEC in the same school are eligible.
This condition is unfair. Imagine a student who wrote their Junior WAEC in a public school but later transferred to another public school, only to be denied this opportunity. Sir, this privilege should be extended to all Kogi indigenes, regardless of where they wrote their Junior WAEC, as they, too, contribute to the state’s development in one way or another.
We pray that God continues to guide and support you in your mission to transform Kogi State. We deeply appreciate your exceptional contributions to education and will continue to stand by your administration.
Thank you, Your Excellency.
– Engr Ira Habib writes from Lokoja.
