Aba - Rep. Uzo Azubuike (PDP-Abia), representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, has paid the WASCE/SSCE 2012/2013 fees for 70 students of public schools under his scholarship scheme.
Some of the students are from Secondary Technical College, Wilcox Memorial Comprehensive Secondary School, Sacred Heart College, Ndiegoro Girls’ Secondary School, St Joseph’s College, Osusu Secondary School and Girls’ Technical College.
The rest are from Eziama High School, Boys’ Technical College, Umuagbai Secondary School, Ohabiam Girls’ Secondary School, National High School, Girls’ Secondary Commercial School and Girls’ High School, Aba.
Mrs Nneka Udensi, Co-ordinator of the scholarship scheme, told newsmen in Aba on Wednesday that the students were selected after their knowledge in English and Mathematics was tested.
"We tested their knowledge in English and Mathematics and the best five students were selected from each of the 14 public schools for the award.
"There is no politics in the selection. The students were selected based on merit after compiling their scores," she said.
Udensi said that the performance of the inaugural students in the last WASCE/SSCE had shown a true test of candidates that benefitted from the exercise in the previous edition.
Pastor Chijioke Nwachukwu, Director of School Services (DSS), Aba Zone, while collecting a cheque of N703,500 for the 14 schools in Aba zone commended the lawmaker for the gesture.
He assured of a timely disbursement of the money to the beneficiaries.
Nwachukwu described the donor as a man with a large heart who has distinguished himself from others.
Azubuike, represented by a former state Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Justin Ogbonna, said the gesture was in fulfilment of one of his campaign promises.
"The scholarship is in fulfillment of some of my campaign promises to the people of the constituency for the mandate of representing them," he said.
The federal lawmaker said his aim of embarking on the scholarship scheme was to give equal opportunity to students in public schools who were due for registration for the WASCE.
He said the programme would help to encourage hard work among students.
"The programme will be a continuous exercise and by 2015, we would have touched 500 families in my constituency through this exercise, regardless of their states of origin," Azubuike said.