The Plateau Scholarship Board will spend over N200 million for the payment of bursary to students of the state in 2015.

The board’s Acting Executive Secretary, Mrs Julie Wuyep, made this known when she received the Plateau House of Assembly Committee on Education in Jos on Tuesday.

Wuyep said the money would cover allowances for students in various territory institutions and in aviation colleges.

She said the state government approved the release of N208.7 million for 2015 bursary, adding that N78.9 million was for students in general courses, while is N106 million was for law students.

The executive secretary said that N16 million was approved for French immersion and seven million naira for students in aviation colleges.

Wuyep said N190.4 million had been released for the payment of the backlog of 2014 allowances.

She said the past administration approved the 2014 bursary, but was not able to release the funds.

“As I am talking, students are presently receiving their 2014 allowances,’’ she said.

Wuyep also advocated an upward review of the bursary of N5000 per student and the prompt payment of allowances so as not to defeat its aim.

The executive secretary said that the previous administration sponsored 25 students spread across the 17 local government areas on maritime programme overseas in 2014.
She enumerated administrative bottlenecks, shortage of vehicles, internet facilities and non-release of overhead cost as some of the challenges facing the board.

Wuyep said the board had not received any overhead cost in the past four years from the government, adding that this had increased the burden of running the office.

Responding, Chairman of the committee, Abdul Yanga, commended the board for paying the bursary to the students.

He pledged that the house would tackle the problems facing the board for better service delivery. (NAN)

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Lalong Approves N200m For 2015 Students Bursary