The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to commence disbursement of bursaries and scholarships before the end of this month.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had given approval for the disbursement, adding that it was in line with the continued commitment of his administration to ensure that the state students continue to thrive and excel in the academic field.

“Our commitment to education across the sphere is unparalleled. But specifically, with regard to tertiary education, this administration over the past two-and-a-half years has been deliberate about increasing the capacity of our institutions,” Bank-Olemoh said.

The Special Adviser said that despite the challenging economic situation across the country, Ambode has continued to invest in a range of initiatives to upgrade the status of institutions in the state.

He recalled that in 2016, there was an increase in subvention for all the state’s tertiary institutions, while innovative programmes such asReady.Set.Workwere launched to equip final year students with entrepreneurship and employability skills for the world of work.

Bank-Olemoh disclosed that to date, 2,500 final year students have trained and exited into the workforce; and up 10,000 students in their penultimate year have participated in theonline scheme (www.readysetwork.com.ng), which qualifies them for the full-fledged programme in their final year.

Besides, Bank-Olemoh added that the CodeLagos, a programme aimed at teaching coding skills to one million Lagos residents, has entered its next phase, with centres opened across the state to train interested learners at no cost to them.

“These initiatives demonstrate this administration’s unalloyed commitment to the welfare of our students. In view of this administration’s investment towards their success, we urge our students to make the most of these opportunities and continue to be good ambassadors of Lagos State,” the Special Adviser said.