Education Policy in Developing Countries: Addressing the Challenge of Managing Overseas Scholarship Programs through Performance Measurement

Abstract

Education and development–whether personal, social, economic or technological–are inextricably bound. In recognition of this, governments, societies and private organizations commit huge financial resources to the funding of education. However, funding for students’ higher education through scholarships suffers a huge disadvantage against funding for higher education institutions. This is more so in developing countries that are even in need of high quality education obtainable in the developed economies through overseas scholarship schemes for deserving candidates.

Governments and Sponsoring organizations such as Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), World Bank’s Overseas Scholarships for Developing Countries, America’s USAID, United Nations’ UNESCO or the Commonwealth Scholarship Programs therefore need to deploy performance assessment mechanisms to effectively and regularly monitor the performances of the beneficiaries of the overseas scholarship schemes throughout the course duration of their studies with a view to recalling back home any under-performing candidate(s) to avoid wasted resources.

The deliverables of this Research Paper, therefore, include:

1) The Nsiegbe Performance Assessment Model for Overseas Scholarship Schemes.

2) A Performance Measurement Formula, known as, The Nsiegbe Formula for Scholarship Schemes Performance Measurement.

3) A Student Performance Assessment Plan.