Parents of students under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme held a demonstration at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja to protest the government’s failure to pay 16 months’ worth of outstanding living allowances.
They gathered at the entrance of the ministry, displaying placards.
The Federal Government’s BEA scheme is a fully funded programme that enables Nigerian students to pursue studies abroad in partner nations such as Russia, China, Hungary, and Morocco.
The initiative covers tuition, housing, and medical expenses, and also includes a monthly living stipend of $500 for both undergraduate and postgraduate scholars.
However, in 2024, the allowance was reduced to $220 per student per month.
The demonstrators said the government’s inability to fulfill its responsibilities has left many beneficiaries stranded in their various countries of study.
More to follow…
