By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State government has promised to grant scholarship to students of the state, who were among Nigerian representatives who defeated the Indonesian Team to emerge victorious at the Indonesia-Nigeria Bilateral debating competition, held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, made the pronouncement Monday when he received the victorious students at the Benue State Government House, Makurdi.
According to chief press secretary to the governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, the representatives from the country who participated at the bilateral international debate competition, organised for basic education learners under the auspices of the President, School Debate Nigeria (PSDN), had Sonia Aduba, Ogenyi Favour, Samuel Ochara and Ruth Suurshater, as participants from Benue State.
Governor Alia, who expressed pleasure that his administration has set an exemplary path of excellence for the students to follow, assured that his government will not lament about paucity of funds, especially as regards issues of education and development, adding that all Benue kids will be given equal opportunity under his administration to travel internationally in order to make the state proud.
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While congratulating and thanking the students, the chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Grace Adagba, the commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Rev. Dr. Frederick Kyaan, the parents of the students and their coaches for their support, the governor promised that his administration will continue to prioritise education, youth empowerment, job creation and security in order to create a brighter future for the children and the state as a whole.
The governor further revealed that the government will henceforth take up the payment of tuition fees of the four students up to their first degree level at the university. He also donated cash reward of N4 million to each of the four students, with their coaches also given N3 million cash reward for their support to the students, while 10 laptop computers were given to their schools by the governor.
Earlier in her address, the chairman of SUBEB, Dr Adagba, appreciated the governor for supporting the Benue team to go and represent the country in Indonesia, intimating that the representatives were selected from public schools, such as SUBEB-UBEC Smart School, Adaka, Arabic Junior School, Makurdi, LGEA School, Owner-Occupier.
She urged parents and stakeholders to encourage the participation of children in the public schools in the state.
In his remarks, the commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Rev. Dr. Frederick Kyaan, said it was a thing of joy as the students went out of the country and made the state proud.
He appreciated the governor for making it possible for the student to go and fly the colours of the state overseas while also commending the students for performing excellently at the debate, adding that the representatives, who cut across Tiv, Idoma and Igede, show unity of purpose.
The governor’s CPS intimated that the Benue team was led to Indonesia by the chairman of SUBEB, Dr. Adagba, with their coaches and other officials of SUBEB.
The team arrived Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, on Sunday, May 5, 2024, and the competition lasted from Monday, 6th to Saturday 11th May, 2024.
The aim of the competition was to help students express their points of view on selected topics, as well as listen to the views of others and think critically.
Benue had emerged second at the National level of the competition which was held in Abuja in November 2023, with Kwara State coming top, while Taraba came third.
