The Yobe State Government has announced the graduation of 167 students sponsored to study at Indian universities under a state-funded scholarship programme.
Governor Mai Mala Buni, through his Director-General of Press and Media Affairs, Mamman Mohammed, asserted that the graduates would significantly contribute to strengthening the state’s health and other critical sectors.
The scholarship initiative, launched in 2020, was part of an effort by the Buni administration to enhance the skills of Yobe’s youth in specialised fields.
A total of 233 students were sent to various Indian universities to pursue studies in fields such as medical laboratory science, pharmacy, radiology, physiotherapy, optometry, computer science, and engineering.
During the graduation ceremony, held in five different Indian universities, the governor—represented by the Speaker of the Yobe House of Assembly, Buba Mashio—commended the students for their hard work and success.
“A total of 63 students were sponsored to GD Goenka University, with 58 graduating, while the remaining five are still completing their studies. Of the 84 students sent to Integral University, 73 have graduated, with 11 still in progress,” Mohammed stated.
The statement also pointed out that 22 students at Kalinga University have all completed their programmes, as well as one student at PP Savani University.
The statement also added that 24 other students are continuing their education at the same institution. Currently, 10 state-sponsored students are at DIT University, 13 at VGU University, and another 13 at Glocal University.
The governor’s aide stated the impact of the programme, noting that the number of optometrists and pharmacists trained and sponsored by the state in the last four years has increased by over 400 per cent compared to the figures since the state’s creation in 1991.
Governor Buni congratulated the graduates, encouraging them to be diligent in their professional duties wherever they are employed.
The Nigerian High Commission in India also praised the Yobe scholarship programme for its positive contributions to the state’s development.
167 state-sponsored Yobe students graduate from Indian universities