The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has slashed the allowances of foreign scholars who are currently stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, among others, by 12.7%.
The government attributed the development to the current economic crises.
It would be recalled that recently, Nigerian students studying in Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, Hungary, and other countries, on the Federal Government’s scholarship, had lamented their unpaid stipends for eight months running.
The students are studying under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) Scholarship
The BEA scholarship is for the purpose of education exchange between Nigeria and the partnering countries, while the Federal Scholarship Board is supervising the scholarship under the Federal Ministry of Education.
The government’s decision to slash the scholars’ allowances was contained in a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.
“After due consultations, the Federal Scholarship Board has come up with adjustments in line with budgetary provisions in the payment of BEA scholar’s supplementation allowances for the 2024 academic year,” the memo, dated July 23, 2024, and addressed to the scholars’ association, read.
According to the memo, the monthly allowances were slashed from $500 to $220; the graduation allowance from $2,500 to $2,000; and the PG research allowance was slashed from $1,000 to $500, among others.
The total amount initially payable to each student was $5,650, but it will now be $4,370 per scholar.
“The Scholars’ Association is hereby notified that due to the prevailing economic situation, the payment mandate for the BEA scholars’ allowances will be as per the new adjustment.
“The balances for the years 2023 and 2024 owed to scholars will be paid as soon as the funds are made available,” the Board stated.
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