Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Education has debunked a report which alleged that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, had inaugurated a committee to oversee the reintegration of returning Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholars into Nigerian universities following the alleged cancellation of the BEA Programme.
The Ministry categorically states that no such committee was inaugurated, and no reintegration plan for BEA scholars is in place. It advised members of the public to disregard the information in its entirety.
According to a statement issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Federal Government has discontinued the BEA Scholarship Programme as part of a strategic policy shift to prioritize and strengthen domestic tertiary education. This decision followed a comprehensive policy review, recognizing that all courses previously studied abroad through the BEA are now available—and often of higher quality—within Nigeria’s universities and polytechnics.
However, the Ministry reiterates that all ongoing BEA scholars will continue to receive full government support until the completion of their academic programmes. This includes tuition, stipends, and all approved entitlements.
The public is strongly advised to rely only on verified information from the Ministry’s official communication channels.
