The Federal Government has approved bursary for undergraduates in public universities and colleges of education across the country.
Under the new scheme, the sum of N150,000 is approved for university undergraduates and N100,000 for NCE students per session.
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, made the disclosure in his keynote address at the 2021 World Teachers Day celebration in Abuja, Tuesday.
Adamu said that 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 the 2020 World Teachers Day celebration.
The minister added that the ministry would liaise with the education ministries in the states, 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 stressed that 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.
“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.”
