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A panel of education experts has called for a review of the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) policy that allows funding bursaries for postgraduate students in local and foreign universities.
The experts argued that the NG-CDF should be used to build infrastructure for basic education and for development projects in the constituencies, instead of subsidizing higher education for a few individuals.
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They said they were ashamed to see Ph.D. and Masters students walking into universities and colleges flashing cheques from the NG-CDF, while many primary and secondary schools lacked adequate facilities and resources.
The NG-CDF is a fund established by the government to support development projects at the constituency level, such as roads, water, health, and education1. According to the NG-CDF Act of 2015, one of the functions of the fund is to provide bursaries to needy students in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and universities2.
However, the education experts claimed that the bursary scheme was being abused by some constituencies, who allocated a large proportion of their funds to postgraduate students, especially those studying abroad.
They said this was unfair and wasteful, as postgraduate students should be able to finance their studies through scholarships, loans, or savings, and not rely on public funds meant for grassroots development.
They also questioned the quality and relevance of some of the postgraduate programs that were being funded by the NG-CDF, and whether they contributed to the national development agenda.
They urged the NG-CDF Board and the Ministry of Education to review the bursary policy and set clear guidelines and criteria for the allocation of funds to postgraduate students.
They also recommended that the NG-CDF should prioritize funding infrastructure and equipment for basic education, especially in rural and marginalized areas, where many schools are still facing challenges of access, quality, and equity.
