Buhari approves N150,000 bursary for varsity students; N100,000 for NCE

THE Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of bursary in universities and colleges of education across the country, with N150,000 and N100,000 earmarked for each undergraduate in an education programme and NCE student, respectively, per session.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said this in his keynote address delivered at the 2021 World Teachers Day celebration in Abuja, Tuesday.

Adamu said the reintroduction of the bursary was part of the resolutions of the National Implementation Committee constituted by the government following President Muhammdu Buhari’s pronouncement in repositioning the nation’s education sector and the teaching profession in particular, during 2020 World Teachers Day celebration.

He added that the ministry would liaise with the 36 states’ education ministries, including the FCT Education Board, with a view to effecting the new scheme.

They would identify the respective courses of study required by each state, while “beneficiaries must attend public institutions only and sign a bond to serve their state for five years on graduation.”

“The fund would be sourced from UBEC, TETFund and managed by the Federal Scholarship Board.”

Adamu said his ministry “shall collaborate with agencies like NTI, TRCN, CPN, NUC, NCCE, UBEC, PTDF, TETFund, and non-governmental organisations to organise trainings in pedagogy and information and communication technology for academic and non-academic staff.”

He disclosed that “UBEC, TETFund and PTDF would assist in funding the annual training.”

“Government would partner with developers/recognised institutions like Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board, FGSLB, FME Staff Welfare, and NUT to finance affordable homes for teachers on build-operate-and-transfer basis.”

Vanguard News Nigeria