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‘Dream Coming True’ for Gov AbdulRazaq as Kwara Trust Fund Sponsors 12 Pupils’ Secondary Education
▪︎ Parents laud pro-masses initiative
▪︎ Inside the rigorous selection process
Kwara State Education Trust Fund (Kwara-ETF) has awarded full secondary school scholarships to 12 outstanding pupils from public schools, marking the Fund’s first set of beneficiaries since its establishment.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the development as a “dream come true” for him and the people of Kwara, barely two years after the Fund began operations.
Created by a 2021 legislation and managed by trustees largely drawn from the private sector and community stakeholders, the Fund has attracted notable support from philanthropists and institutions.
Speaking at the orientation programme for the beneficiaries, AbdulRazaq stressed that education funding is too costly to be left to government alone.
“Educating our children is our collective responsibility. Governments alone can’t fully fund education. We need philanthropists and foundations to support schools, adopt students, and fund brilliant pupils who show commitment to excellence,” the Governor said.
The 12 beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous, transparent process coordinated by the Kwara ETF. Their full secondary school expenses will be covered.
AbdulRazaq hailed the integrity of the process, noting that the pupils came from humble backgrounds.
“They did not cut corners to make the list. This is just the beginning. We will track them through to the university level,” he assured, adding that government will inject more resources into the Trust Fund.
How the pupils emerged
Executive Secretary of the Kwara ETF, Oluwadamilola Amolegbe, explained that the pupils were drawn from an initial pool of 640 top-performing Primary Six pupils who benefited from the KwaraLEARN digital literacy programme.
Out of these, 180 were shortlisted and sponsored for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE). The best 20 per cent (36 pupils) were further screened, with the final 12 selected based on merit and admission into unity schools across different LGAs.
Programme Manager Zainab Abdulsalam said the initiative reflects the ETF’s vision of building Kwara’s future through quality education.
“We intend to track and monitor them to ensure Kwara’s investments translate into tangible results, not just in numbers but in the success stories of these children,” she said.
Parents react
For parents, the scholarship is a huge relief.
Maxwell Kolawole, father of one of the beneficiaries from Ekiti Local Government, said the gesture has lifted the burden of school expenses off his shoulders.
“This is truly a pro-masses initiative. The process was transparent, and we are grateful to the Governor and his administration,” he said.
With the scholarships now in place, the Kwara Education Trust Fund has not only fulfilled its promise but also laid a strong foundation for brighter opportunities for public school pupils in the state.
