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BREAKING: Foreign Scholars Left High And Dry As FG Axes Allowances
The Federal Government has reduced allowances for Nigerian scholars abroad by 12.7%, citing economic crises, with students reporting unpaid stipends for eight months.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has announced a 12.7% reduction in allowances for foreign scholars currently stranded in countries such as Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, among others.
The ministry attributed this decision to economic crises.
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Earlier reports indicated that Nigerian students studying in Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, Hungary, and other countries on the Federal Government’s scholarship program have not received their stipends for eight months.
These students are part of the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) Scholarship, which facilitates educational exchange between Nigeria and partnering countries.
The Federal Scholarship Board, under the Federal Ministry of Education, oversees this scholarship program.
The decision to reduce the scholars’ allowances was detailed 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 $2500 to $2000; and the PG research allowance was slashed from $1,000 to $500, among others.
The total for the payments initially paid was $5,650 per student but will now be $4,370
“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 ministry said.
Recently, the President of the Union of Nigerian Students under the Federal Government-controlled Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship, Ayuba Anas, said the scholars had not been paid for close to eight months.
FG Allowances Stranded Foreign Scholars
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Anas said, “For the past six to eight months, scholars enrolled in various institutions abroad have endured financial strain due to the delay in receiving their stipends.
“In addition, from the last payments we received (March-August), there was a shortfall of practically two and a half months’ payment. Moreover, some students in China have not received any stipends since they arrived in April and May 2023.“
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