The Federal Government has denied reports claiming it plans to bring home Nigerian students currently studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement and place them in local universities.
In a statement released on Saturday, May 17, the Federal Ministry of Education said the report is false and misleading.
The Ministry, through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said there is no plan to reintegrate BEA scholars into Nigerian universities.
“The public is advised to disregard this misinformation in its entirety,” the Ministry said.
There had been claims that the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, created a committee to manage the return of BEA students after the alleged cancellation of the programme.
But the Ministry said such a committee was never formed, and no reintegration plans exist.
“The Ministry categorically states that no such committee was inaugurated, and no reintegration plan for BEA scholars is in place,” the statement read.
Earlier in May, the government had announced it would discontinue the BEA scholarship programme as part of a new plan to strengthen education within Nigeria.
The Ministry explained that the decision followed a full policy review, which found that the courses studied abroad under the BEA are now available—and in some cases, better—at Nigerian universities and polytechnics.
Still, the government assured that students already studying abroad under the BEA programme will continue to get full support until they finish their studies.
“This includes tuition, stipends, and all approved entitlements,” the Ministry confirmed.
