FG’s Bursary Awards For Education Undergraduates

THE Federal Government of Nigeria at the 2021 World Teachers Day celebration in Abuja announced the reintroduction of bursary in Universities and Colleges of Education for education related undergraduate courses across the country. Its intention was geared towards repositioning the education sector and the teaching profession that had been enmeshed in crisis in recent times.
THIS is a welcome development to many Nigerians. It is a right step in the right direction to redress the dwindling fortunes of education and lack of interest by the youths in the field as a course of study and profession.
THE rejuvenation is coming at a period when the future of education sector in the country is very bleak, while those being trained as teachers are not the best of the brains. The average Nigerians who ended up in education courses are those who could not meet up the cut-off points for other courses.
THIS has actually affected the quality of teacher education as well as their products over the years in the country. It is against the above background and the need for more people to take up teaching as a vocation to meet the growing need for more trained, competent and certified teachers that are inadequate in most part of the country that the federal government seeks to introduce bursary awards to rekindle teacher education in the country.
CONSEQUENTLY, the federal government announced the reintroduction of Bursary with N150,000 and N100,000 earmarked for each university undergraduate in an education programme and NCE students, respectively, per session. Towards ensuring the success of the programme, the Federal Ministry of Education will partner with the Ministries of Education in the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory Education Board, to identify respective courses of study required by each state that will enjoy the award. In addition, potential beneficiaries of the bursary awards must attend public institutions only and sign a bond to serve their state for five (5) years upon graduation.
THE fund for the programme is to be sourced from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The programme is to be managed by the Federal Scholarship Board. Additionally, beneficiaries of the award will also enjoy sponsorship for at least one refresher training per annum
THIS initiative by the Buhari-led government to improve and strengthen teaching profession will refresh the teaching Profession and stimulate the interest of many people to take to the Profession.
HOWEVER, the Federal government should not stop at announcing the programme, it must do everything possible to ensure the success of the positive initiative through proper mobilisation and enlightment
WE canvass that government and all agencies involved should faithfully implement the programme to avoid the pitfalls of similar past government programmes such as the Universal Primary Education (UPE) that was later jettisoned. This is very essential since the programme has the potential to improve teacher education and by extension educational sector and standard in the country.
THIS type of intervention by the government should be extended beyond educational sector to other distressed sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Housing, and water supply among others. This noble initiative should be formalised into a policy backed with appropriate legislation that will enable the policy to persist for a long period and avoid making it a one-all affair programme.
IN addition, it will ensure its effectiveness and efficiency. To ensure its success, the government should explore other sources of funding beyond TETfund that is already overburdened.
THE potential beneficiaries of the programme when it commences must make the best use of the opportunity provided by the policy, be ready to abide by its conditions and to reciprocate the good gesture of government by serving the state as specified in the condition attached to the programme.
THIS will encourage government to do more to support and improve education in the country. Finally, the government must provide the enabling environment for the programme to succeed. They should also vigorously pursue the laudable programme because it has the potential to improve education generally in the country.