The Tope Adebayo Foundation has awarded scholarships to all second-year students of Government Technical College, Igbara-Odo Ekiti, in a renewed effort to promote technical and vocational education and encourage skills acquisition among young people in Ekiti State.
The Foundation's Chief Executive, Tope Adebayo, said the annual scholarship initiative is designed to increase enrolment in technical institutions while equipping students with practical skills that foster entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
Represented at the presentation ceremony by a former member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Ayo Adekoya-Benson, Adebayo said the programme had consistently contributed to improving enrolment at the college and supporting the state's drive for youth empowerment through vocational education.
Beyond the cash awards, the scholarship scheme also provides school uniforms for beneficiaries each year.
Adebayo urged the students to maximise the opportunity by remaining committed to their studies and developing skills that would enable them to become productive and financially independent.
"This initiative is aimed at increasing students' enrolment, promoting skills acquisition and encouraging entrepreneurship among our youths. We believe technical education remains one of the most effective pathways to self-reliance," he said.
Speaking at the event, Adekoya-Benson described the scholarship programme as a transformative intervention that has benefited not only the school but also the wider community.
He noted that the initiative has attracted students from different parts of Ekiti State and neighbouring states to the institution.
"This philanthropic effort has positively impacted many lives. People now come from far and wide to enrol in this school because of the opportunities created through this scholarship scheme," he said.
He called on other well-meaning Ekiti indigenes to support technical education through similar interventions, stressing that such contributions would enhance youth development and economic growth in the state.
Chairman of the Ekiti State Board for Technical and Vocational Education, Kayode Babade, commended the Foundation for its sustained investment in technical education, saying the initiative had significantly increased student enrolment over the years.
According to him, the college's enrolment rose dramatically after the scholarship programme was introduced.
"At the beginning, the school had very few students. But immediately the scholarship scheme was introduced, enrolment increased from about 12 students to more than 100 within a session," Babade said.
He added that the programme had encouraged more young people to embrace technical education and appealed to other philanthropists and corporate organisations to invest in vocational training across the state.
Also speaking, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Capacity Development and Training, Prof. Patrick Tedela, said the Foundation introduced the scholarship in response to declining enrolment at the technical college.
He explained that the initiative covers school fees and uniforms for students admitted into the institution, thereby removing financial barriers that previously discouraged enrolment.
"What we are witnessing today is another demonstration of Adebayo's long-standing commitment to encouraging young people to acquire technical skills that will prepare them for the future," Tedela said.
The Principal of Government Technical College, Samuel Arowosola, expressed appreciation to the Tope Adebayo Foundation for its continued support, describing the intervention as a major contributor to the school's growth and development.
He encouraged parents to embrace technical and vocational education by enrolling their children in skill-based institutions where they can obtain both practical competencies and academic qualifications needed for future success.
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