Sen. Sunday Katung (PDP–Kaduna South) has awarded N40 million in scholarships to no fewer than 400 indigent students from his constituency.
The funds, disbursed through the Sunday Marshall Katung Foundation, provided each beneficiary with N100,000 to support their education in various tertiary institutions.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony on Saturday in Kafanchan, Katung—represented by Bature Likoro, Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Community Development Associations—said the initiative was designed to ease the financial burden of students and reduce hardship.
He described education as the most powerful tool for social change and human capital development, pledging to sustain the scholarship programme beyond his tenure as senator.
The Chairperson of the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee, Gloria Ballason, revealed that 3,125 students applied for the scheme, out of which 400 were selected after a rigorous and transparent screening process.
She said the beneficiaries were chosen based on their economic background and academic performance.
“It is our hope that this support will make the difference between staying in school and dropping out,” Ballason said.
The committee’s secretary, Edward Auta, urged the government and philanthropists to invest more in education to promote equal learning opportunities. He also advised the beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly.
Delivering a lecture titled “Mainstreaming STEM Education for National Development,” Prof. John La’ah emphasized that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) remained key to innovation and sustainable growth.
“In recent times, scientists have agreed that STEM is going to be the game changer, and it is important for us to understand this,” he stated.
Two beneficiaries, Zingina Precious and Omega Enoch, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, described the scholarship as a lifeline that came at a critical time.
They expressed gratitude to Senator Katung and prayed for continued grace for him to keep supporting students and the less privileged.
