A former member of the House of Representatives and governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Rt. Hon. Shehu Bawa ABG, has sponsored 3,000 candidates for the 2026 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, in what he described as a deliberate investment in the future of the state.
ABG personally inspected the ongoing free registration exercise across designated centres within Kaduna State to ensure a smooth, transparent and hitch-free process for all beneficiaries captured under the initiative.
The sponsorship, facilitated through the Shehu ABG Foundation, covers the full cost of registration for students drawn from all the 23 local government areas of the state.
Speaking with journalists during the inspection tour, the PDP governorship aspirant said the initiative was aimed at supporting children of low-income families who could not afford the cost of registering for the examination.
He said education remains the greatest legacy any society can give to its younger generation, stressing that empowering youths through learning is the most sustainable path to breaking the cycle of poverty.
According to him, there was a time when access to education was largely free and accessible, adding that there was no reason similar opportunities could not be extended to children of the present generation.
ABG described the gesture as part of his broader commitment to youth empowerment, noting that education is the foundation upon which economic growth, social stability and lasting development are built.
He further disclosed that the scholarship scheme is an annual intervention designed to ease the financial burden on struggling parents and guardians across the state.
Beyond the registration sponsorship, he promised to provide additional support to outstanding beneficiaries, particularly students from wards that produce the highest JAMB scores, pledging to sponsor them from 100 level through graduation.
He charged the candidates to take their studies seriously and justify the confidence reposed in them, assuring that more educational support programmes would be rolled out in due course.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the centres expressed gratitude to the former lawmaker, saying the gesture had lifted a heavy financial burden off their families.
They noted that without the intervention, many of them would have missed the opportunity to sit for the examination, describing the initiative as timely and life-changing.