The Katsina State Government has partnered with the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), to sponsor 3,735 indigent girls through National Certificate of Education (NCE) in a programme worth N188 million.
Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Bello Masari on Girl-child Education and Child Development, Hajia Amina Dauda, who made the above disclosure while briefing journalists at government house, Katsina, as part of the scorecard of her department, said the rural girls were sponsored under the Female Teacher Trainee Scholarship Scheme (FTTSS) programme: a component of Girls Education Project (GEP) driven by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
She disclosed that the government selected the beneficiaries from the 34 local government areas of the state and that each qualified beneficiary received the sum of N50,000 annually to boost their education.
“The programme enrolled 3,735 young girls from rural poor families to pursue NCE programme at Isah Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-ma and on graduation returned to their respective communities.”
“One of the criteria for selection is that, candidates must have five credits, including English and Mathematics. The beneficiaries of the programme received financial support of N50,000 annually.”
The Special Adviser also disclosed that the state government has rendered financial supports to 3,610 orphans and vulnerable caregivers to cushion the effect of COVID-19 lockdown.