Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the government could no longer justify spending public funds to send Nigerian students abroad to study courses that are already available in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.
According to Alausa, the decision followed concerns over proposals that would have seen thousands of Nigerian students travel abroad to study programmes for which Nigeria already has sufficient academic capacity.
He cited a proposal involving about 100,000 Nigerian students travelling to Morocco to study English-taught courses, including mass communication and journalism.
The minister questioned the rationale behind the arrangement, noting that the courses were already available in Nigeria and that the students would reportedly have spent their first year learning French before beginning their academic programmes.
Alausa said the cost of supporting such a large number of students overseas could not be justified when the same resources could be invested in expanding opportunities for thousands of students within Nigeria.
The Federal Government has consequently discontinued new government-funded awards under the bilateral scholarship programme, although existing beneficiaries will continue to receive support until they complete their studies.
The minister, however, clarified that the policy does not prevent Nigerian students from benefiting from scholarships offered and fully funded by foreign governments.
He explained that bilateral education programmes were originally introduced at a time when Nigeria lacked the capacity to provide certain courses locally, but said the country’s universities, polytechnics and colleges of education have significantly expanded their capacity over the past two decades.
The government is now focusing on strengthening local tertiary institutions, expanding technical and vocational education, improving digital learning, and promoting research and innovation.
The Federal Government is also boosting domestic student-support initiatives, including scholarships, bursaries and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, as part of broader efforts to make higher education more accessible.
Alausa said the administration’s goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s education system produces knowledge, innovation and research capable of driving economic growth and national development.
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