Jega asks government to scrap scholarship boards

Attahiru Jega, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral (INEC), has called for the scrapping of states and federal scholarship boards.

Jega, who now lectures at the Bayero University, Kano, made the call while delivering a paper at the maiden convocation lecture of the Federal University, Dutse.

According to him, the scholarship system needs to be reviewed to serve the purpose for which it was introduced.

He alleged that most scholarship boards in the states and federal levels had been characterised by corruption, saying governments need to deal with schools directly.

“The scholarship system must be reviewed and reorganised by disbursing scholarships through the institutions, rather than ineffective and corrupt boards,” he said.

“The federal and state governments should identify their beneficiaries and pay directly to their schools, and that should be done by merit.”

He said paying directly to the institutions will reduce a lot of wastages and reduce corruption in the system.

Jega also advised government to introduce a well-funded student’s scheme for indigent’s students who are qualified to go to tertiary institutions but cannot afford it.

He said these were important innovative measures used by most countries to expand access to education.

Jega also called on the federal government to increase profit tax of companies allocation to Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), from two to five per cent.

He lauded TETFUND for serving the country well in terms of provision of infrastructures in institutions, as well as aiding the conduct of research.