Ganduje laments high cost of foreign scholarship

Kano state government has spent N4.3bn in two years on foreign scholarship for its students studying in various Universities abroad, the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said. “This amount is enough to build a new university or to complete several projects in our Maitama Sule University”, the governor stated, adding that “overseas scholarship under […]

Kano state government has spent N4.3bn in two years on foreign scholarship for its students studying in various Universities abroad, the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said.

“This amount is enough to build a new university or to complete several projects in our Maitama Sule University”, the governor stated, adding that “overseas scholarship under the present economic condition in the country, is very expensive”.

Ganduje made the disclosure during presentation of scholarship awards to nine indigenes of the state, to study degree programme at Al-Azhar University Cairo, and 10 Imams for a two-month capacity building programme, by the Egyptian government.

The governor lamented that what the government was spending on each student on the foreign scholarship could be used to finance the education of at least 30 students attending tertiary institutions locally.

He explained that despite efforts to sustain the foreign scholarship scheme, some of the students were taking the scheme for granted, saying that while some stayed away from their lectures, others engaged in lawlessness.

“For instance some of our students in one country do not attend lectures. Their scores were very low. It was recommended by their university that we should pay for their studies for an additional year. However, there was doubt that they will be able to pass at the end of the additional year. So we decided to return them back home after consultation with their parents”, he stated.

Similarly, he revealed that some of the students in the same institution went to the extent of assaulting their lecturers, stressing that the government would not tolerate indiscipline, breach of law and waste of public funds on those who would not appreciate the privilege of being sponsored to study aboard.

“Some people are politicizing the whole issue. We learnt that some crooks visited them and told them not to return. Well, they can go ahead and sponsor them or their parents can pay for their studies if they so wish”, Ganduje added.

In his speech, the Cultural Attaché, Egyptian Embassy in Nigeria, Dr. Ibrahim Ibrahim explained that the scholarship awarded to nine Kano students was part of the contribution of his country to improve the Nigerian education sector, adding that the number of beneficiaries would be increased gradually.

He stated that the capacity building programme for Imams and Islamic scholars was meant to expand their intellectual horizon so that they could impart Islamic knowledge more efficiently in the society.