The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media alleging the suspension of the National Award Scholarship and dissolution of the Federal Scholarship Board.
In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, the ministry said no such directive had been issued by the Federal Government.
The ministry clarified that the Federal Scholarship Board had only been renamed as the Department of Scholarship Awards (DSA) under the ministry, while its responsibilities for administering Federal Government scholarship programmes remained unchanged.
It reassured students, parents and beneficiaries that all recognised scholarship programmes of the Federal Government remained active and uninterrupted.
According to the ministry, only the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme was discontinued after a policy review aimed at strengthening local tertiary education.
It explained that the decision did not affect domestic scholarship schemes, including the Nigerian Scholarship Awards, the Federal Government Bursary for Education students, and the Presidential Scholarship for former NYSC corps members.
The ministry added that existing beneficiaries of the BEA scholarship would continue to enjoy full government support until completion of their studies.
It also stated that efforts were ongoing to strengthen local scholarship initiatives and student loan programmes across the country.
The ministry urged members of the public to disregard the fake suspension notice, stressing that it did not originate from the ministry or the Department of Scholarship Awards.
It condemned the spread of false information capable of creating confusion among students and their families.
The ministry reiterated its commitment to ensuring equitable access to education through scholarships and other student support initiatives nationwide.
The statement was signed by Mrs Boriowo Folasade, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education.
