Education
Stranded Nigerian scholars lament FG’s allowance cut, resort to loans
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By Francesca Hangeior.
Foreign scholars under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship, on Wednesday, lamented the sudden deduction in allowances by the Federal Scholarship Board.
Some of the affected scholars and parents who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja lamented the government’s decision.
The scholars noted that the government had failed to release their allowances for over 13 months, leaving them to source for their means of survival in foreign countries.
The BEA scholarship is for the purpose of education exchange between Nigeria and the partnering countries.
The Federal Scholarship Board is supervising the scholarship under the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education had announced a slash in allowances for foreign scholars who are currently stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, among others.
The ministry attributed the development to economic crises.
The government’s decision to slash the scholars’ allowances 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.
“After due consultations, the Federal Scholarship Board has come up with adjustments in line with budgetary provisions in the payment of BEA scholar’s supplementation allowances for the 2024 academic year,” the memo, dated July 23, 2024, and addressed to the scholars’ association, read.
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the affected scholars, Ronald Donald, said “Firstly, students have stayed 13 months without stipends, just promises upon promises. Now, the only thing the FSB could come up with is to reduce the stipends. Let me give you an idea of how living in Russia and Morocco looks like;
“In Russia, a student needs a minimum of $300 to survive. The bus fares are expensive, and the hostel prices are up. Bread used to be sold for 70 rubbles is now 120 rubbles. In Morocco, the students don’t have hostels provided for them. As such, they rent apartments (at a starting price of $200 a month).”
Speaking on how some of the stranded scholars are surving, Donald said, “Normally, the embassy in Russia gives out loans to students in difficulty. They take the money back when FSB pays.”
Another student who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation noted that some of the students had taken loans to finance their studies.
He said, “We were under the agreement to be paid $500 per month and we have not been paid since June 2023 which has resulted in students engaging in exploitative illegal labour such as washing plates, and construction. I personally have worked in a soap warehouse and restaurant for 12 and 14 hours at a stretch respectively with reduced pay against the agreement and host country’s visa.
“A few months ago after several agitations and representations by our parents, our parents were encouraged by the FG to take loans to the tune of millions because of the exchange rate and the rising cost of living in our host counties to send to us for our survival with the promise that the situation will be sorted out and our stipends would be paid suddenly yesterday they released a memo slashing our stipends by 56%. How are we to pay back the loans or even survive ?”
Speaking further, the student revealed that some students took loans from loan sharks.
“Yes, several students took loans from even loan sharks because no one in this economy would loan millions to a student that doesn’t have a definite payback period or collateral,” he said.
Also speaking, a parent who spoke on condition of anonymity while giving the breakdown said, “Each student now gets $3090 (2640 + 450) instead of the $6450. It’s only the medical students who get an extra 500 to make theirs $3590.
“So (500×12)+ 250 + 200 + (500) = $6450 and $6950 (for non-medical and medical students respectively) slashed to (220×12)+ 250 + 200 + (500)= $3090 and $3590 (for non-medical and medical students respectively).
“Seeing that only supplementation was touched (others that concern us are still constant), that’s a 56% decrease.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has restored its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) after a brief disruption, directing tertiary institutions across the country to urgently accelerate their admission processes.
The Board announced the development in its weekly bulletin published on Monday, confirming that the admissions platform was restored on Sunday, September 27.
JAMB attributed the temporary outage to an administrative issue involving its hosting provider. According to the Board, it worked with relevant service providers to resolve the problem, restore the system and strengthen its hosting arrangements to guard against a recurrence.
With CAPS now fully operational, JAMB has instructed universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to intensify their admission activities and recover time lost during the disruption.
The directive is particularly important as institutions work within the admission timetable approved at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Under the approved schedule, public universities are expected to conclude their admission processes by October 31, while private universities have until November 30.
Other tertiary institutions, including polytechnics and colleges of education, are expected to complete their admission exercises by December 31.
JAMB also noted that the recent release of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results by the National Examinations Council (NECO) has provided public universities with the necessary information to process outstanding applications ahead of the October 31 deadline.
The Board therefore urged candidates who were awaiting their NECO results to promptly upload or verify their results on the JAMB portal to avoid delays in the admission process.
Candidates were also advised to regularly monitor their admission status and accept admission offers promptly once they are offered admission.
JAMB’s latest directive places the responsibility on institutions and candidates to move quickly as the 2026/2027 admission window enters its final stages, with public universities facing the earliest deadline.
Education
We should not relent in building educational root that raised us, for the sake of our kids- IGSOSA President, Adidi (Photos)
President of Iluelogbo Grammar School Old Students Association, IGSOSA, Engr David Owhairoruo Adidi has urged fellow old students not to relent in building their educational root that raised then for the sake of their children.
Speaking at the 2025/2026 Annual General Meeting, AGM of the association held in Owhelogbo , in Isoko North LGA of Delta State on Saturday,, Engr Adidi encouraged members of the association to continue the good work as it will serve as an ever lasting legacy.
Giving account of his exco’s stewardship in the last one year, he chronicled the challenges and how they were surmounted.
He said, “you will recall that following elections concluded on 28th June 2025 we were inaugurated on 12th July 2025.
” Our mandate is clear: build on the foundation of our predecessors and reposition our alma mater for sustainable growth.
“We met two urgent challenges:
Staffing Crisis, Acute shortage of teachers in core subjects, poor attitude to duty, and internal divisions.
Leadership Vacuum: The then Principal was incapacitated by illness.
“We engaged stakeholders immediately. Through advocacy, we secured the posting of four teachers in core subjects and a new substantive Principal. The ailing Principal was transferred on health grounds.
He gave a blow by blow account of of the various interventions to rejuvenate the IGS to bring it to its present state.
“With the cooperation of well-meaning teachers, issues of indiscipline were addressed and peace restored. We thank all who mediated during disagreements on our platform.
“With the support of _Chief Mathias Otobo, the school premises and field are now cleared and regularly maintained by him.
“Initial water intervention was done by Deaconess Vivian Edoghogho Okpobrisi. The pump was later overhauled.
“We celebrate the new SolarPowered Water Project donated by Engr. Monday Akporuno as his give-back.
“On power, Exco replaced the school’s solar inverter after a thunder strike at the CBT center.
” The inverter was also affected and replaced. Proper earthing and Thunder Arrestor since there non and battery replacement are urgently needed to restore full functionality.
“Under the new Principal, IGS successfully held the Annual Inter-House Sports after some years.
Our students won 1st position in the Debate Competition sponsored by Gen. Anthony Okpobrisi (rtd).
“Exco is engaging the Ministry of Secondary Education to scope interventions including _classroom renovations_ and _repair of failed portions of the perimeter fence_.
Adidi appreciated all sponsors who massively supported the EXCO in championing various intervention projects through the year.
Major highlights of the AGM include:scholarship was awarded in waiting for the following students that will emerge in the subjects below with sponsors:
1. Jonah Omamode Omowhovivie – 200 barges for students uniform
2. Morrison Iluesure Esq. – 100 barges for students uniform
3. Micheal Emamuzou Ahworeno – 100 barges for students uniform and #50,000 for best Chemistry student
4. Simon Enajedu – Best Biology Student and Best English student during the mock examination – #50,000 each
5. Engr Dr. Lucky Omidi – Best student in Geography from SS2 – SS3 – A set of Geography text books and #20,000
6. Engr. Gabriel Oloroh – Best mathematics and Physics students in SS3 – #50,000 each
7. Orife Jonathan – Over all best student from SS2 to SS3 – #200,000
8. Engr. David Adidi – 2nd best runner up for Mathematics and Physics for the graduating class during their mock examination- #50,000 each.
9. Umukoro Jonathan (JP) – 10 best students in Accounting #20,000 each
10. Deaconess Vivian Okpobrisi – 3 Best students in Government and Literature in English – #30,000 each
11. Comrade Patrick Adaighofua – Best student in English language #30,000, best student in Literature in English #20,000
12.
Finally, the National Examinations Council, NECO has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE Internal, with 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtaining five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.
The results were released 63 days after the last paper of the examination was written.
Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the results at a press conference in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday.
He said 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,371,992 candidates sat for the exercise, which commenced on June 15 and ended on July 23, 2026.
Wushishi disclosed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of their performance in English Language and Mathematics.
The NECO registrar also announced a significant decline in examination malpractice, saying 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice in 2026, compared with 3,878 candidates recorded in 2025.
He said the figure represented a 64.74 per cent reduction in examination malpractice.
Wushishi thanked President Bola Tinubu for reappointing him for a second tenure as NECO registrar, as well as the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for his confidence in his leadership.
He also commended security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the Department of State Services (DSS), for their vigilance, presence and support during the examination.
According to him, the agencies’ efforts helped reinforce discipline, deter wrongdoing and protect the integrity of the examination.
Wushishi reassured stakeholders and the public that NECO would remain committed to its mandate and continue to uphold the integrity of its examinations.
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