Pauline Hanson, the leader of One Nation, has denounced the government's new $320 million scholarship programme to help educate African students as a 'disgraceful waste of taxpayer money'.

Senator Hanson said she was 'absolutely furious' about the new programme - which is set to offer up to 10,000 students the opportunity to study in Australia.

Impoverished students from more than 40 African nations are eligible for the scheme, which opened in April, and will have access to both short courses and degrees.

But Senator Hanson argued the money would be better spent on much-needed public services in Australia.

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Pauline Hanson said she was 'absolutely furious' about the decision to offer the scholarships

In a video on her YouTube channel, the Senator said the scholarships were a 'disgraceful waste of taxpayer money'

'I talk to farmers who cannot afford to send their kids to schools or put them into boarding schools because of the costs,' she said.

'These people are on the bones of their backside, fighting drought and this is how much the Australian government thinks of our own kids'.

Liberal Senator Lucy Gichuhi posted the opportunity, run by the Department of Foreign Affairs, to her Facebook page on Monday.

But shortly after, Senator Hanson claimed the scholarship program would essentially provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Australia, including medical expenses, for so many African students while Australian families struggled to make ends meet.

The Australia Awards Scholarships 2018-19, which opened in April, offer two categories of Award.

The first, the Australian Awards Scholarship, allows lucky individuals to undertake higher degree studies in Australia at Masters level.

The second, the Australia Awards Short Courses, to undertake short-term, targeted professional training courses, in Australia and/or in Africa, in a range of development-focused sectors.

Senator Hanson with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the launch of the One Nation leader's book

Liberal Senator Lucy Gichuhi revealed the opportunity in a post on her Facebook account on Monday

A statement on the awards website describes the new prize as 'a cornerstone of the Australian Government’s development assistance program for Africa'.

The website also says: 'On their return to the workplace, Australia Awards Alumni are expected to contribute actively to development in their home countries.'

The idea of increasing Australia’s foreign aid commitment is opposed by 80% of Australians - according to a recent statement from the minister for international development and the Pacific, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.

Australia’s foreign aid commitment currently stands at $3.9 billion, its lowest ever level as a proportion of the budget: 0.22% of gross national income.