In line with the National Association of Seadog’s thrust to support education, especially of disadvantaged children, the National Association of Seadogs Zuma Deck (Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) has designed a scholarship scheme, which will cater for indigent but brilliant students. These are students who would normally have been sent home because their parents cannot afford the fees.
Following the Street Child collaborative sensitization campaign, including the Abuja Literary Society last year, NAS Zuma Deck had undertook to keep 20 children in school. However, this number has been doubled in 2016 to 40 students. NAS Zuma Deck intends to keep taking on more students from different schools within the FCT.
So far, 80% of the student beneficiaries are females.
School Partners
NAS Zuma Deck currently covers Government Secondary Schools in the following six areas – Jiwa, Gwagwa, Dei Dei, Kubwa, Dutse and Bwari. The authorities in these secondary schools provide a list of brilliant indegent students who have challenges paying their school fees. They are then considered for addition onto the program.
Scope of Scholarship
The scholarship covers school fees and also WAEC Exam fees for Senior Secondary 3 students.
Conclusion
NAS Zuma Deck is pleased to partake in keeping indigent students in school, particularly females, through this scheme. The Deck however observed from most schools visited within the FCT that there was a sharp drop in attendance of male pupils, which is worrying. A follow up study will be undertaken to ascertain the cause of the drastic reduction of male student enrolment in secondary schools within the catchment area.
{gallery}nas/events/zuma-scholarship{/gallery}
