FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUTS ALLOWANCES OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS ON SCHOLARSHIP ABROAD DUE TO ECONOMIC HARDSHIP 24-07-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Federal Government has cut the allowances of Nigerian students on scholarship studying abroad.
The students who are under the Bilateral Education Agreement, BEA are pursing various studies in fifteen countries including Russia, Morocco, and Hungary
The BEA scholarship which is to facilitate education exchange between Nigeria and the partnering countries, is being supervised by the Federal Scholarship Board.
A letter to the scholars from the Board explains that the move was due to the prevailing economic crisis in the country.
It read in part “I am directed to inform you that the prevailing situation concerning the domestic exchange rate in Nigeria makes it difficult for the Federal scholarship Board to sustain the payment of Bilateral Education Agreement, BEA Scholars allowances as contained in the award letters issued at the point of departure to the host countries.”
”After due consultations, the Federal scholarship Board has come up with adjustments in line with budgetary provisions in the payment of BEA scholars supplementation allowance for the 2024 academic year”
According to the letter, Supplementation per month was reduced from $500 to $220, PG research allowance, from $1000 to $500 and passage/graduation allowance from $2,500 to $2,000
It reassures the students that the balances for 2023 and 2024 will be paid as soon as funds are available.
Recently the students, who said they were stranded, complained of the non-payment of allowances for the past eight months.