Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has sent 200 Plateau indigenes to India on fully-funded undergraduate scholarships, a move he described as a bold investment in human capital and the future of the state.
The beneficiaries, selected through the newly launched Mutfwang Legacy Scholarship Scheme, will pursue degree programmes in Medical Sciences, Engineering, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at Sanskaram University in India. The students were formally sent off on Tuesday at a ceremony held in Jos, attended by government officials, traditional rulers, parents and well-wishers.
At the ceremony, Governor Mutfwang emphasised that the scholarship process was strictly merit based and free of political interference, asserting that academic excellence determined admission to the programme.
“This process was not manipulated or influenced in any way. Everyone selected is here because of hard work and excellence,” he said, adding that Sanskaram University independently supervised the screening exercise.
The governor reiterated that the first cohort of beneficiaries was selected without considerations of quotas or political allocations.
“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, urging the students to remain disciplined and focused.
Addressing the departing scholars, he reminded them of their role as ambassadors of both Plateau State and Nigeria.
“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,” the governor said.
Governor Mutfwang used the occasion to highlight additional reforms in the Plateau State education sector as captured in the 2026 budget. These include the creation of a special research fund for Plateau indigenes in tertiary institutions, expanded postgraduate programmes at Plateau State University, and increased support for Master’s and PhD research initiatives.
He reaffirmed his administration’s vision of building “a new Plateau where no one is left behind and where religion or ethnicity will not hold us back,” signalling a broader commitment to inclusive development.
Officials present at the ceremony characterised the scholarship scheme as an unprecedented milestone in the state’s educational history.
Dr. Kachollom Pyam Gang, Commissioner for Education, described the initiative as a historic achievement, noting that no previous administration in Plateau State had sponsored as many as 200 students to study abroad at one time.
Similarly, Nankus Adams Ngwalang, Acting Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Scholarship Board, hailed the programme as the board’s most impactful intervention to date, highlighting enhanced bursary provisions and expanded scholarship opportunities under the current administration.
Representing parents, Mr. Fabong Adanchin publicly commended the governor’s leadership and merit-based governance.
“I *did not support you in the last election, but good leadership won me over. My son is going to India purely on merit,” he said.
Traditional and religious leaders also implored the students to return home with skills and knowledge that would contribute to the state’s development, emphasising unity among the diverse group of beneficiaries.
