The allowance of Nigerian students studying abroad under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement, BEA, Scholarship has been slashed due to economic hardship in the country.
The allowances of the scholars currently stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, among others, were slashed by 12.7 per cent.
The federal government’s decision 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.
The memo read: “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 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, FSB, has come up with adjustments in line with budgetary provisions in the payment of BEA scholar’s supplementation allowances for the 2024 academic year.”
Based on the memo, supplementation allowances per month are slashed from $500 to $220; PG research allowance from $1,000 to $500; and passage/graduation allowance from $2,500 to $2,000.
However, the warm clothing allowance per annum remained unchanged at $250; the health insurance allowance $200; the pilot allowance $700; and the medical allowance $500.
The Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement, BEA, Scholarship was established for education exchange between Nigeria and the partnering countries.
The Federal Scholarship Board, FSB, is supervising the scholarship under the Federal Ministry of Education.
