By Rosemary Etim Bassey
About 1,000 senior secondary school students from Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, and Ejigbo got free exam forms for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The forms were given to the students by Mr Ayodele Asalu during the 10th anniversary of his programme in Ejigbo, Osun State, on Wednesday. Parents, teachers, and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were also at the event.
Asalu, who started the programme in 2016, said the goal is to help talented students who cannot afford exam fees. Over the years, the programme has grown, and more students have been helped. “In ten years, we have given over 7,000 WAEC and UTME forms in this area,” he said.
This year, 450 students received WAEC forms and 550 got UTME forms. All WAEC students were also automatically registered with JAMB.
The students were chosen carefully. Fifteen of the best students from each of 20 public secondary schools in Ejigbo were selected. Others were nominated by religious groups, community leaders, and traditional institutions to make sure everyone had a fair chance.
Asalu encouraged the students and their parents to use this opportunity wisely. “Work hard and do your best in your exams,” he said, reminding them that this support is meant to help them reach their dreams.