Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has approved and sponsored 200 students to study in India under the newly launched Mutfwang Legacy Scholarship Scheme, marking one of the largest foreign-education interventions in the state’s history.
The beneficiaries were selected through a merit-based process and will pursue degree programmes in Medical Sciences, Engineering, and Information and Communication Technology at Sanskaram University, India, following an independently supervised screening exercise.
The governor formally sent off the students on Tuesday during a ceremony held in Jos, the Plateau State capital, with government officials, parents, traditional rulers, and religious leaders in attendance.
Speaking at the event, Mutfwang described the scholarship as a strategic investment in human capital development, emphasizing that the selection process was transparent and free from political influence.
“This process was not manipulated or influenced in any way. Everyone selected is here because of hard work and excellence,” the governor said, adding that Sanskaram University independently supervised the screening exercise.
He further emphasised that the beneficiaries emerged strictly on merit, without political, institutional or quota considerations.
“We did not allocate slots to politicians, local governments, or institutions. Plateau has some of the brightest minds in this country, and we insisted on a purely merit-based process,” Mutfwang stated.
Addressing the students, the governor urged them to uphold discipline and integrity, describing them as ambassadors of Plateau State.
“What God is giving you through us are wings to fly. Devote yourselves to excellence, because the future of Plateau State and Nigeria will depend on you,” he said.
Mutfwang also disclosed that his administration has introduced new education-sector reforms captured in the 2026 budget, including the creation of a special research fund for Plateau indigenes in tertiary institutions, expansion of postgraduate programmes at Plateau State University, and increased support for Master’s and PhD research.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Kachollom Pyam Gang, described the scholarship scheme as a historic milestone, noting that no previous administration had sponsored as many as 200 students abroad at once.
Similarly, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Scholarship Board, Nankus Adams Ngwalang, said the programme represents the board’s most impactful intervention to date.
A parent representative, Fabong Adanchin, commended the governor’s commitment to merit-based governance, while traditional and religious leaders urged the students to return with knowledge and skills that would contribute to Plateau State’s development and promote unity among its people.
