Economic Hardship: Pay Our Scholarship Stipends, Nigerian Students Abroad Beg Tinubu

Overseas Nigerian students under the umbrella of the Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) Scholarship have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to ensure the prompt payment of their overdue stipends.

The coalition, representing Nigerian scholars studying in nations such as Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, and Hungary, implored the Federal Government to fulfill its financial obligations, citing the severe hardships many students are enduring.

Ayuba Anas Yushau, spokesperson for the Coalition of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Student Association, articulated the shared concerns of the students in a statement released on Wednesday.

Yushau said, “For the past six to eight months, scholars enrolled in various institutions abroad have endured financial strain due to the delay in receiving their stipends.

“In addition, from the last payments we received (March-August), there was a shortfall of practically two and a half months’ payment. Moreover, some students in China have not received any stipends since they arrived in April and May 2023.

“In some cases, there has been a shortfall of nearly two and a half months’ worth of payments, and this has had serious consequences for our well-being.”

Yushau pointed out that the essential stipends designated for covering basic living expenses have been withheld, resulting in students being unable to afford accommodation, utilities, or food.

He also expressed sorrow over the situation in Russia, where the rising cost of living, combined with the delays in receiving stipends, is pushing Nigerian students to the brink.

“We earnestly plead with our President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a father figure and a visionary in education, to intervene in this pressing matter. His intervention in ensuring the prompt disbursement of our stipends will not only alleviate our current hardships but also allow us, his scholars, to focus wholeheartedly on our studies.

“We are confident that under President Tinubu’s compassionate and forward-thinking leadership, swift action will be taken to resolve this issue, enabling us to continue our academic pursuits without the burden of financial strain,” the statement read.