Stranded Foreign Scholars Plead for Reversal of Allowance Cuts

Scholars under Nigeria’s Federal Government Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) Scholarship have appealed to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, to reverse a 56% reduction in their allowances.

The BEA scholarship facilitates education exchange between Nigeria and partnering countries, and is overseen by the Federal Scholarship Board under the Ministry of Education. Recently, The PUNCH reported on the ministry’s decision to slash allowances for scholars in countries such as Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, attributing the cut to economic crises.

The allowance reduction was announced in a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the minister. The memo, dated July 23, 2024, stated that the adjustments were made in line with budgetary provisions for the 2024 academic year.

In a letter addressed to the minister, the scholars expressed their strong opposition to the allowance cut. They wrote, “We formally express our concern and strong opposition to the recent decision to reduce the supplementation allowances, as communicated in your letter dated 23rd of July 2024.”

The scholars highlighted their gratitude for the government’s support but stressed the severe impact of the stipend reduction. “We appreciate the efforts of the Nigerian government in ensuring our welfare so that we can pursue our education without distractions. Despite financial hardship, we have remained committed to our studies and have not engaged in any illegal activities. However, we have been struggling to survive for 13 months without the stipend, often resorting to loans to pay our bills,” they said.

The scholars emphasized that the 56% reduction would leave them unable to cover basic living expenses, including rent, utilities, transportation, and food. They stated, “The monthly allowances provided to overseas scholars are critical in ensuring that they can focus on their academic pursuits without undue financial stress.”

The letter concluded with a demand for the full payment of allowances owed over the past 13 months. The scholars declared, “The UNBEA scholars have decided not to accept this payment as stated in the mandate. We request that the FSB pay us the number of months that this total amount paid to various embassy accounts can afford at the $500 per month as stated in our award letter, and that the remaining months be completed when the funds are made available.”