Education has been described as a critical instrument for empowerment and sustainable development as a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly representing Yakurr I Constituency, Hon. (Obol) Cyril Omini, distributed 1,000 free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms to indigent students.
The distribution exercise took place on Wednesday at the Yakurr Council Guest Hall, Ugep, where prospective candidates from across Yakurr I Constituency benefitted from the initiative ahead of the 2026 UTME.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Hon. Omini, who was represented by his aide and coordinator of the scheme, Mr. Phillip Edward, congratulated the beneficiaries and explained that the initiative was aimed at promoting access to quality education while easing the financial burden on parents and guardians within the constituency and beyond.
Mr. Edward revealed that the scheme, now in its fifth edition, commenced in 2022 before Hon. Omini’s emergence as a Member of the State House of Assembly. He noted that the programme started with just 50 UTME forms and has progressively expanded over the years to reach the current milestone of 1,000 beneficiaries.
According to him, the initiative was designed to support qualified students who aspire to further their education by sitting for the UTME, stressing that beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous and transparent process across the wards in the constituency. He emphasized that only students who genuinely required assistance were considered and that the forms were distributed completely free of charge.
In their separate goodwill messages, Mr. Obeten Uket, Head of ICT at Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman for Ijiman Ward, Mr. Ubi Abam, commended Hon. Omini for his sustained commitment to educational development in Yakurr I Constituency. They urged the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously, avoid distractions, and make effective use of the opportunity, noting that education remains the foundation for future success.
Several beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the lawmaker for the gesture, describing the initiative as timely and impactful. They encouraged fellow students to seize the opportunity to pursue academic excellence and contribute meaningfully to society.
The highpoint of the event was the distribution of the UTME forms and the on-the-spot enrollment of the selected candidates.
