The parents lamented that some of the affected Nigerian students, especially the beneficiaries of the Bilateral Education Agreement studying in countries like Algeria, China, Cuba, Egypt, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine were owed up to five months’ allowance for this year.

They said the award entitles each scholar to supplementation allowances of $6,000 per annum to augment feeding, local transport, maintenance, equipment/books; warm clothing allowances of $250 per annum, and health insurance of $200 per annum.

They pointed out that the commitment of the donor countries was limited to tuition fees and accommodation. Under the arrangement, the Nigerian scholars are expected to be paid every month, but they said the reality, over the years, was that supplementation and other allowances of BEA scholars were paid in arrears.

Sources said some of the students, especially those in Russia had resorted to begging as the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine and the attendant sanction have significantly raised standards of living in the country.

Our correspondent learnt that some of the parents of the students last week decided to plead with the minister through a harvest of SMS, begging him to make the payment of the outstanding allowance a parting gift as he leaves office this week.

One of the parents who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the parents were gripped with fears that the incoming administration might not consider the payment of the outstanding allowance a priority until it finally settles down.

One of the parents said, “Already, our children in Russia are complaining. The cost of living has gone up significantly and not all the parents have enough to send to these children. We are appealing to the outgoing administration to settle these children before they begin to constitute themselves into a nuisance in desperation for survival.”

Nigeria has four categories of scholarship awards: the Bilateral Education Agreement, the Commonwealth, the Nigerian awards, and the Sustainable Development Goals awards.

The Minister for Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, made this statement over weekend at the Federal College of Education, FCE, Eha-Amufu, in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State during the 33rd combined convocation and 40th anniversary of the College.

Mallam Adamu who said that education is at the root of all developments in the country, stated that this administration owes the younger generation and posterity a social debt of giving them quality education.

Mallam Adamu who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, also said that the huge investments in education sector, especially, at the tertiary level was to enhance its quality and reliability.

“His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has resolved to take education to its possible height in Nigeria. We share the sentiment of all that education is at the root of all developments. This administration considers it its responsibility and a social debt we owe this generation and posterity to do what we must to bring about good education in this country.

“This accounts for the huge investment in education sector, especially, at the tertiary level where deliberate efforts have been made to enhance its quality and reliability.

“You should also know that this government is determined to engage every undergraduate student of education with a bursary and stipend of N75,000 per a semester.

“We have already extended the service years of teachers to 65 years. This is already being implemented. There are many more incentives and we are seeking to hire only the best brains in our education sector,” he said.

This was contained in the ‘Guidelines for schools and learning facilities reopening after COVID-19 pandemic closure’, submitted to the National Assembly on Tuesday by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

Each school is “required to create temporary isolation spaces and fully-equipped clinics before reopening,” the document stated.

the Minister said, “Given that COVID-19 may be with us for a while, the guidelines also highlight the urgent need to maintain and improve upon distance learning programmes.”

The statement also added that schools have mandated to “establish a referral system, including protocols and procedures to take if learners, teachers, administrators, and other education personnel become unwell while in schools”.

Apart from that, the Federal Government in the document mandated any state wishing to reopen schools to “hold adequate consultations with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the parents”.