Japa: Over 137 Students On Scholarship Abroad Absconded, Says TETFUND

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Sonny Echono has revealed how over 137 students failed to return to Nigeria after enjoying the federal government scholarship for their overseas studies.

According to Echono who spoke on Tuesday when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged mismanagement of N2.3tn tertiary education tax by TETFund, the students simply absconded after getting the overseas scholarships.

The Executive Secretary insisted TETFund did not mismanage the N2.3tn fund.

He explained that some fail to return to Nigeria after completing their studies while some others abscond right from school.

“Some of the scholars that have been sponsored, unpatriotically when they go, they enjoy our scholarship, acquire a higher degree, then refuse to come back, it has become a major crisis.

READ ALSO: Truckload Of Suspected Indian Hemp Intercepted By Army In Ogun

“The scholarship requires that you will come back. It is required that you have a guarantor and in many cases, the guarantor has suffered undue hardship because when you disappear, we hold the guarantor to pay all the money expended on your behalf but that has not been effective,” he lamented.

Echono said TETFund intends to deploy stiffer measures to ensure those who benefit from the scholarships abide by the term and conditions.

“We believe that in a system where we work with our embassies and the institutions, we can enforce the repayment for those who insist they will not come back,” he said.