By Marie-Therese Nanlong

598 indigent secondary school students from two public schools in Jos South and Jos East local government areas of Plateau have benefited from scholarship to enable them pay their tuition fees in school.

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The scholarship, given by the Dachung Bagos Foundation to the entire population of the two benefiting schools (Government Secondary School Chugwi, Jos South and Government Secondary School, Godong, Jos East) which are located at the economically disadvantaged communities of the two local government areas is to encourage school attendance in the areas.

The benefactor, Dachung Bagos who is the Member representing Jos South/Jos East federal constituency in the National Assembly urged the benefiting students to take advantage of the gesture, be productive and make themselves, their parents and society proud.

Presenting the bank drafts of over N3million to the Principals of the two schools at the Area Directorate in Jos South local government area, Bagos through his Senior Legislative Aide, Mr Langs Pwajok noted the gesture was in line with his motto of “Equipping the next generation.”

He said, “We picked these schools, we awarded a total of 298 from Chugwi, 300 from Godong making 598 students. The cost of this scholarship is over N3.4million, we chose the schools because they are located in seriously impoverished communities. Chugwi was affected by crisis and populated by peasant farmers. We have among the benefiting students, indigent people, vulnerable people, the orphans, all sorts. It is a complete scholarship for all the students in the two schools.”

He stressed that the gesture which started some years ago would be sustained so that other members of his constituency can benefit because Bagos “felt he should be deliberate in his mission of equipping the next generation hence this huge sacrifice.”

Also, the Programme Officer of the Dachung Bagos Foundation, Mr. Alfa Dali added that since the Foundation’s inception in 2010, a lot has been achieved because “BAGOS foundation was birth purely out of his love for humanity, and also his desire to contribute his own quota in raising a generation of great achievers in all works of life.”

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the representative of the Area Director, Mrs. Rebecca Gopgap commended Mr. Bagos and his team for the gesture saying, “I am overwhelmed. On behalf of the Ministry of Education, and the Area Office Jos South, we appreciate Hon Bagos for this initiative and for remembering the less privileged. As the students from GSS Godong have prayed for him in their presentation, we pray that God honour their prayers in his life.”

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One of the students, Esther Haruna said, “This gesture is a welcome one, I am very happy and my parents cannot hide their joy because I have not paid my last terms fees. They are still struggling to raise the one my SS2 third term. When I told them about this scholarship, they were very happy because a big burden has been lifted off our shoulder. My parents will focus on clearing the fees of last term and working toward getting my WAEC and NECO fees. God bless Hon. Bagos.”

Vanguard