Education best tool to tackle poverty – Osun APC Chieftain

2026-02-19 - 00:37

...celebrates 10 years of WAEC/UTME scholarship By Shina Abubakar Osogbo A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State, Engr. Ayodele Asalu has disclosed that education is the best tool the government should deploy to tackle poverty among youths. This is as he marked a decade of dishing out scholarship, especially funding, West African Examination Council, WAEC and the Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB for for thousands of students of Ejigbo Local Government Council extraction in Osun State. At the event which was held on Ejigbo town on Wednesday, another 1003 indigent students from various towns in the local government were given WAEC and JAMB forms. Addressing the gathering, Engr. Asalu recalled launching the initiative in 2016 to ensure that no child in Ejigbo Local Government or the Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency misses critical educational opportunities due to financial limitations. “I started this programme so that poverty will not disconnect our children from their future. Today marks a decade of impacting lives and giving our children a chance to dream,” Beyond examination forms, the programme has expanded in the last three years to cover tuition support for extraordinary students who excel academically but struggle with financial constraints. When I see brilliant students hindered by lack of funds, I feel compelled to step in,” Asalu added. He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for establishing the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing it as a timely support system for indigent students. “NELFUND ensures that the dreams of hardworking students do not end because of financial hardship,” he noted. APC apex leader in Ejigbo Local Government, Senator Mudasiru Hussein commended Asalu for sustaining the programme for a decade, urging them to remain focused and committed to their studies, stressing the importance of discipline and determination.