By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Taraba State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Agbu Kefas, has charged postgraduate students to be worthy ambassadors of Taraba State and Nigeria while in India.
He stated this at a send-off dinner in honour of the 100 Taraba students sponsored by the state government to pursue postgraduate studies in India.
The Governor, represented by the member representing Wukari I Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. Jethro Yakubu, said jobs would be waiting for the beneficiaries upon completion of their master’s degree programmes, urging them to respect the laws, culture, and traditions of their host country and to demonstrate the discipline and character expected of them.
According to him, upon assuming office in 2023, he met a moribund Scholarship Board and immediately moved to revive it, stressing that his administration considers education a critical investment in the future of Taraba State.
He recalled that his administration made primary and secondary education free and compulsory across the state, while also fulfilling its commitment to reducing tertiary institution tuition fees by 50 per cent.
He disclosed that the sponsorship of the 100 students represents another major step in the administration’s education agenda, noting that it is the first time in the history of Taraba State that such a large number of first-class and second-class upper graduates are being sponsored to undertake postgraduate studies abroad.
The Governor explained that the beneficiaries were selected strictly on merit from the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
“There is no godfatherism, no politics, and no connections in this process. It is strictly based on merit. The transparency of the selection process was evident in the diversity of the beneficiaries.”
He pointed out that the scholarship programme is fully funded by the Taraba State Government, which will bear the cost of tuition, return air tickets, accommodation, feeding, and monthly stipends for the students throughout the duration of their studies.
“The beneficiaries will undertake postgraduate programmes in strategic fields, including engineering, computer science, medical and paramedical sciences, agriculture, and other critical disciplines,” he said.
He noted that the courses were deliberately selected to address critical manpower needs in the state, adding that the beneficiaries are expected to return with the knowledge and skills required to contribute meaningfully to Taraba’s development.
“We need you to come back and fix our hospitals, build our roads, power our ICT revolution, and transform our agriculture. That is why jobs are waiting for all of you when you return,” he added.
“Do not ‘Japa’ and forget Taraba. The state is investing in you so that you can, in return, invest in the state,” he said.
The Governor reaffirmed that his administration would remain focused on making education accessible to all Tarabans, both within and outside the country, while sustaining investments aimed at developing the human capital needed to drive the state’s long-term development.
The Governor also thanked the parents and guardians for their sacrifices in raising and supporting the students, assuring them that the state government would continue to prioritise the safety, welfare, and academic success of the beneficiaries.
He further disclosed that since the inception of the administration, the government has continued to demonstrate its commitment to expanding access to quality and affordable education for students across the state, irrespective of their socioeconomic background.