Philanthropist pays N2.15m WAEC fee for 160 students

ALHAJI Lawal Suleiman, a renown philanthropist in Daura, Katsina State, has paid N2.15 million for the May/June WAEC examination fee of 160 indigent students.

Suleiman said, in Daura on Monday that the gesture was aimed at complementing the state government’s educational development efforts.

He said the beneficiaries were carefully selected from some public secondary schools in Daura.

According to him, the beneficiaries were those who would re-seat the examination and the children of less privileged individuals.

He described education as the bedrock of development, noting that he never attended a formal educational school, but knows the value of education.

“Today, I have 10 university graduates among my children and some are Master degree holders,’’ Suleiman said.

He called on other public-spirited people in Daura to emulate the gesture by investing in education to guarantee bright future for children in the area.

“This is how we can eradicate indolence and encourage scholarship among our teeming youths.”

“I have concluded arrangement to establish the Lawal Suleiman Foundation for Education.’’

He said the foundation would be providing scholarship and bursary to indigent students who secure admission in tertiary institutions.

He added that emphasis would be placed on those studying professional courses like medicine, law, engineering and agriculture among others.

The philanthropist lauded the efforts of the state government in the promotion of education and infrastructure.

“Gov. Aminu Masari has constructed hundreds of schools and provided furniture for conducive teaching and learning environment.”

“He has also encouraged the business community through promotion of security which enabled us to move freely for our businesses.”

“We will continue to pray and support him to succeed,’’ Suleiman said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 20 students each were selected from six secondary schools in Daura.

The philanthropist paid N293,000 to the management of each of the schools for onward remittance to WAEC.

The benefiting schools are Government Secondary School Daura, Government Girls Secondary School Daura and Government Secondary School Gurjiya.

Others are the Family Support Secondary School Daura and Government Secondary School, Kalgo.

NAN recalls that Suleiman paid N1.8 million WAEC and NECO registration fees for 140 indigent students last year.