Nigeria Terminates N650 Million Scholarship Funding to Morocco
The Nigerian Federal Government has officially announced the cessation of funding for part of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship program, a decision that marks a significant shift in the nation's educational policy. This decision comes in light of the government's stance that it can no longer justify the expenditure of hundreds of millions of naira to send students abroad for education in fields that are already adequately offered within the country. Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, articulated this position during a press briefing held in Abuja. He revealed that shortly after he took office, a proposal was presented to allocate N650 million to support 150 Nigerian students studying in Morocco for a one-year period. However, this proposal was ultimately rejected due to concerns over the necessity of an additional year for these students to learn French before they could commence their chosen academic programs.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that the same N650 million could instead be utilized to support a significantly larger number of Nigerian students if invested in local educational institutions. He questioned the logic behind sending Nigerian students to study programs in Algeria and Morocco that are readily available in Nigeria, particularly given that many of these programs are conducted in French, while the students are being sponsored for courses such as English, journalism, and psychology. He pointed out that the BEA arrangement might have held merit two decades ago, when Nigeria's educational capacity in specialized fields was severely limited. However, he argued that the expansion and improvement of Nigeria's tertiary education system over the years render such overseas scholarships unnecessary.
Reallocation of Resources Towards Domestic Education
Dr. Alausa characterized the federal funding aspect of the BEA scholarship as an inefficient allocation of scarce resources, which could be better spent on enhancing the educational infrastructure within Nigeria. He clarified that this decision does not equate to a complete ban on foreign scholarships; rather, it focuses specifically on the inappropriate use of public funds for programs that do not provide sufficient educational value relative to their cost. The minister reiterated the government's commitment to strengthening domestic educational institutions and ensuring that public education funding is more sustainable going forward.
Additionally, the minister introduced the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize, an initiative designed to promote and recognize intellectual achievements, research, and innovation in Nigerian higher education. This prize will encompass six thematic areas and will be open to all tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, across both the public and private sectors. The selection process is set to start at the institutional level and will progress through zonal and national stages, with measures in place to ensure that only original and verified projects are eligible for consideration.
As reported by guardian.ng.
