§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Lord Privy Seal what was the effect of charging full 346W costs upon the crash programme for technical education in Nigeria; and how many students took part in 1978–79, and 1979–80.
§ Mr. BlakerThe crash programme for technical education in Nigeria, instigated in 1977, is wholly funded by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education and administered in Britain by the British Council.
Under the programme in 1978–79 there were 204 Nigerian students in Britain in the second year of their training within existing courses. Total fees amounted to £86,641, averaging £425 per student. In the 1979–80 academic year, there were in this country 52 Nigerian students who were continuing for their third year.
The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education made no new awards under this scheme for training in Britain for 1978–79 or 1979–80. I understand their original intention was to have sent 1,500 students for each of these two years. These numbers, however, would have required the establishment of special courses—rather than the use of existing courses—which would have increased the fees to £1,500 per student per year. But it cannot be assumed that this factor alone was responsible for the Nigerian decision.
The honourable Member will be aware that this issue is unrelated to the Government's decision, announced in the autumn of 1979, to charge full economic fees for students studying in Britain.