Prof. Sagir Abbas, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, says the university has secured scholarships for 500 indigent students after making contact with philanthropists and wealthy individuals.
The VC said this when he received the leadership of Kano Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
The reception took place in his office in Kano on Thursday.
Abbas said that the donors included prominent Kano politicians and philanthropists like Senator Rufa’i Hanga, who offered sponsorship to 200 students.
Abbas said that the university was still making contacts with other wealthy individuals toward securing additional scholarship for more indigent students.
He said that the recent hike in the school’s fees was necessitated by the realities in the country.
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He said: “We are fully aware of the condition of our people.
“Most people are not financially comfortable.
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“That is why it took us over six months to come up with a figure, which is the minimum required to provide services to the student.
“We did not increase the registration fees to make money.
“We are trying our best to make life easier for our students by widening the scope to allow students to attend classes before registration.”
Abbas said that the university had also introduced welfare packages for its staff such as a non-interest loan from a Micro Finance Bank payable within six months.
“Others include food stuffs, shuttle buses, bicycle loans for junior staff payable within nine months,” he said.
Abbas added that the cost of running the university was beyond imagination as the authorities spent over N100 million as running cost monthly.
“I consider journalists important and relevant to the development of any nation,” the VC said.
He also said that the management of the university plans to review the deadline for closure for the 2023/2024 academic session.
Speaking, Malam Aminu Garko, the Chairman of the NUJ chapel, lauded the university’s strides in the educational development of the country.
He said: “We talk of BUK because of the reality on ground where personalities produced by the institution are greatly contributing to the development of the country.”
Garko reiterated the chapel’s determination to partner with the institution for developmental purposes.
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