The Federal Government has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media claiming that the National Award Scholarship Programme has been suspended and the Federal Scholarship Board dissolved.
In a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, the Ministry described the notice as fake and urged students, parents and scholarship beneficiaries across the country to disregard it.
According to the Ministry, no directive has been issued suspending any recognised Federal Government scholarship programme.
“The Federal Ministry of Education wishes to clarify that the information currently circulating on social media regarding the suspension of the National Award Scholarship and the dissolution of the Federal Scholarship Board is false and misleading,” the statement said.
The Ministry explained that contrary to claims in the viral notice, the Federal Scholarship Board has not been scrapped but has only undergone a structural change and is now known as the Department of Scholarship Awards (DSA).
It stressed that the Department retains the same responsibilities and mandate for administering Federal Government scholarship programmes nationwide.
“The Federal Scholarship Board has been renamed the Department of Scholarship Awards under the Ministry, with its core functions and responsibilities remaining unchanged,” the Ministry stated.
Seeking to calm growing concerns among students and families, the Ministry reassured Nigerians that all recognised scholarship schemes remain fully operational and unaffected.
It, however, clarified that the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme had been discontinued following a policy review aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s local tertiary education system.
The Ministry emphasized that the decision affects only the BEA scheme and does not extend to domestic scholarship programmes.
It listed the Nigerian Scholarship Awards, the Federal Government Bursary Award for Education students, and the Presidential Scholarship for former NYSC Corps members among programmes that remain active.
The statement further assured existing BEA beneficiaries that they would continue to receive full government support until the completion of their studies abroad.
“All beneficiaries currently under the BEA Scholarship Programme will continue to enjoy full support from the Federal Government until they successfully complete their academic programmes,” the Ministry said.
It added that efforts were underway to strengthen local scholarship initiatives and student loan programmes to expand educational opportunities for Nigerian students.
The Ministry condemned the spread of false information capable of creating anxiety and confusion among students and their families, warning members of the public against relying on unverified reports.
“The public is advised to disregard the fake notice as it did not originate from the Federal Ministry of Education or the Department of Scholarship Awards,” the statement added.
Reaffirming its commitment to educational development, the Ministry pledged to continue promoting equitable access to quality education through scholarships, bursaries and other student support initiatives across the country.
