Nigerian students under the federal government Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) scholarship have appealed to the Nigerian government to intervene on the unpaid stipends which cause severe hardship among them.

Ayuba Yushau, the spokesperson for the Coalition of all Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Students Association, made the appeal on Wednesday in an interview in Abuja.

The BEA scholarship awards are for scholarships in Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, Hungary, and a few other countries.

Mr Yushau alleged that for the past six to eight months, students enrolled in various institutions abroad have endured financial strain due to the delay in receiving their stipends.

He stated, “In addition, from the last payments we received from March to 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.

“This delay has led to dire consequences, especially for those residing in countries like Morocco, where the country doesn’t have adequate provisions for school hostels, unlike the other sister BEA countries.”

Mr Yushau added, “This means that stipends are crucial for covering basic expenses such as housing, electricity bills, handouts, internet bills, water bills, transportation, and food.

“Some students face eviction as they struggle to meet rent payments, while others have tragically fallen ill due to hunger, requiring urgent medical attention.”

According to him, these hardships persist amidst the ongoing delay in stipend disbursement.

He also mentioned that students in Russia “are grappling with” the harsh reality of an increased cost of living, exacerbated by the prolonged delay in stipend disbursement.

“Forced to navigate financial hardships amidst the pressures of academic stress, many students have been pushed to the breaking point, which is diverting their focus from their primary goal of academic excellence,’’ he added.

Mr Yushau said that due to the nation’s economic reality, they received insufficient or no additional support from their parents.

According to him, prohibitions on employment in many of their host BEA countries had restricted their ability to supplement incomes.

He appealed to the federal government to recognise the plight of its scholars abroad and take immediate action to alleviate their suffering.

“We earnestly plead with our president, President Bola 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 to focus wholeheartedly on our studies,” he said. 

(NAN)