Senate Hauls Education Minister Into The Hot Seat Over Delayed Grants To Nigerian Students Abroad

• The Senate summoned the Minister of Education and the Federal Scholarship Board over delayed grants for Nigerian students abroad.

• Lawmakers urged the Federal Government to take action against officials responsible for the students’ hardships.

• The Minister of Education was asked to provide a detailed report on the status and unpaid entitlements of Nigerian students in international scholarship programs.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Senate has summoned the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, and the leadership of the Federal Scholarship Board over delays in the payment of outstanding grants to Nigerian students stranded abroad.

Lawmakers have urged the Federal Government to take action against the officials responsible for the hardships faced by these students, noting that the situation harms Nigeria’s international reputation.

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Additionally, the Minister of Education has been asked to provide a comprehensive report on the status of all Nigerian students in international scholarship programs, including a detailed breakdown of their unpaid entitlements.

Following a debate on a motion of urgent importance by Senator Salihu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, the Senate passed a resolution urging Senate President Godswill Akpabio to conduct a thorough investigation promptly and take necessary actions to address the situation.

The Senator highlighted that the Federal Government grants annual scholarships to exceptional students nationwide for international (graduate/undergraduate) studies, aiming to cultivate a group of outstanding professionals for the country’s development.

“These scholarships are part of a broader initiative to promote specialized education through partnerships with foreign institutions, facilitated by entities such as the Federal Scholarship Board under the Federal Ministry of Education.

“This initiative supports the Government’s commitment to Bilateral Education Agreements (BEA) and Multilateral Agreements with Commonwealth and other international partners.

“Reports of Nigerian students facing hardships in Algeria, China, Morocco, Russia and the United Kingdom due to non-payment of tuition and living stipends, leading to negative media coverage and national embarrassment.

“The recurrence of these issues suggests systemic failures, despite previous interventions by this Distinguished Chamber to prevent such situations.

“The Federal Government’s failure to meet its financial commitments under these international agreements for over ten months will jeopardize the welfare and academic progress of the affected students.

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“The failure to fulfil these obligations not only undermines our national reputation but also poses significant diplomatic concerns and risks pushing our students towards unlawful activities to sustain their livelihood abroad,” he said.