Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved N400 million for the 2026 bursary, scholarship and financial assistance programme for 13,360 students of the state origin studying in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The governor announced the commencement of the programme on Tuesday at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure.
The beneficiaries include 11,907 students receiving bursaries, 614 scholarship beneficiaries, 239 Law School students, 500 medical students undergoing clinical training and 100 students living with physical disabilities.
Aiyedatiwa said the initiative was part of his administration’s commitment to improving access to education and investing in the future of young people in the state.
He described education as the foundation for sustainable development, stressing that his administration would continue to prioritise investments that improve opportunities for children and youths.
The governor said, “Education is the seed from which every great society blossoms and the foundation of sustainable development.”
He added that the state’s 2026 Budget of Economic Consolidation had made significant provisions for education, including the construction and rehabilitation of 500 basic schools.
According to him, the government has also begun a Digital Literacy Programme through which digital tablets are being distributed to pupils in 50 public schools.
He said the programme was aimed at equipping students with relevant digital skills and preparing them for opportunities in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, commended the governor for approving the funds, describing the initiative as evidence of his administration’s commitment to the welfare and educational advancement of Ondo students.
Ajibefun disclosed that the state government had also released N633.918 million to cover the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination registration fees for students in public secondary schools across Ondo State.
The commissioner further revealed that the governor had approved the immediate implementation of the Federal Government’s agreement with unions on the new salary structure for workers in the state’s tertiary institutions.
He said the government had also increased funding to the institutions to support the implementation of the new salary structure.
Ajibefun said the measures were part of broader efforts by the administration to strengthen education at different levels across the state.
