The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced the suspension of the foreign component of its TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) Intervention, effective January 1, 2025. This decision was communicated in a letter dated November 25, 2024, signed by TETFund's Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono.
The letter, addressed to heads of beneficiary institutions such as vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts, cited the escalating cost of overseas training and an increasing number of scholars absconding as primary reasons for the suspension.
Echono explained that the current excessive cost of training in foreign institutions, coupled with the high rate of abscondment of scholars, prompted the Board of Trustees of the Fund to approve this suspension. As a result, TETFund has directed beneficiary institutions to prioritize local training within Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
This shift aims to "conserve and reduce pressure on the foreign exchange rate, boost investment and local capacity in our institutions while significantly increasing the number of beneficiaries of the intervention."
Despite the suspension, scholars already enrolled in foreign institutions under the TSAS programme will continue to receive sponsorship until they complete their studies, ensuring a smooth transition for ongoing commitments.
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