Federal Government has debunked reports of its planning to slash scholarship students’ allowances.
Gatekeepers News reports that Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman made the clarification during a meeting with leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday in Abuna.
Before this, there have been reports that the ministry, through Federal Scholarship Board, announced a slash in allowances for foreign scholars stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria among others.
Economic crises were allegely the cause of the slash in scholars’ allowances under the federal government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship (BEA).
However according to Mamman; there was no slash in scholars’ allowances but rather an adjustment due to Foreign Exchange fluctuations (FOREX).
The minister said, “We want to clarify what has been in the media on allowances paid to scholars under the Bilateral Scholarship Agreement.”
“We want to place it on record that the ministry and the Federal Government for that matter have not slashed the allowances due to students.”
“What happened is some adjustments in the amount due to them because of FOREX fluctuations, and as soon as we get the balance we have applied for, we will pay them.”
“But for now, what is in the budget is what we can pay. So, there is no slash, we will even be happy to increase, so this is what has led to the adjustments.”
