Oyo State Government has announced November 11 as the commencement date for the 2026 bursary screening exercise for final-year students who are indigenes of the state and studying in public higher institutions across the country.
The screening exercise, organised by the Oyo State Scholarship Board, will run until November 27, 2026, with shortlisted applicants expected to participate according to an approved timetable released by the Board.
The Secretary of the Board, Mr Niyi Akinyanju, said only applicants whose online submissions had been reviewed and found to meet the stipulated registration requirements were shortlisted for the exercise.
Akinyanju clarified that completing the online registration did not automatically qualify an applicant for screening, stressing that only those who satisfied the necessary conditions would be considered.
He said the Board had introduced both physical and online screening options to make the exercise more accessible and convenient for applicants across the country.
However, he explained that students studying in higher institutions within the South-West geopolitical zone must participate in physical screening, irrespective of their state of residence.
According to him, applicants studying outside the South-West can choose either physical or online screening, depending on their location and convenience.
He advised those opting for online screening to ensure that their registered telephone numbers remained active and accessible throughout their scheduled screening dates to enable the Board to contact them for verification and other necessary clarifications.
For physical screening, applicants are expected to report at the Oyo State Scholarship Board Room, Room 83, Ministry of Education, Secretariat, Ibadan, by 10:00 a.m. daily.
The exercise will hold on weekdays, from Monday to Friday, with no screening activities scheduled for weekends.
Under the approved timetable, students in colleges will be screened between November 11 and 12, while Higher National Diploma (HND) applicants will attend from November 13 to 17.
University students are scheduled for screening between November 18 and 26, while those studying clinical and allied courses will be screened on November 25 and 26.
Applicants in maritime and aviation programmes are scheduled for Friday, November 27.
The Board listed the documents required for verification to include JAMB admission letters, local government identification letters, final-year course registration forms, recent passport photographs, school identification cards and evidence of annual FOSSU payment.
It urged shortlisted applicants to ensure that all required documents were complete, authentic and readily available to facilitate a smooth screening exercise.
The Board also advised students to adhere strictly to their respective screening dates and other guidelines, particularly those required to appear physically.
It said the introduction of online screening reflected the state government’s commitment to using technology to improve service delivery, reduce administrative bottlenecks and make bursary administration more accessible to eligible students.
The government, under Governor Seyi Makinde, reaffirmed its commitment to educational development and supporting the academic aspirations of Oyo State indigenes through sustained investment in bursary and scholarship programmes.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade.
[NIGERIAN TRIBUNE]
