TETFund Addresses Allegations of Deliberate Omission of Scholars’ Names in Presidential Bailout

Favour Ishember, Abuja

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has responded to media reports alleging that the organization deliberately omitted the names of some scholars from the presidential bailout approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for stranded TETFund scholars abroad.

In a press statement issued to Daily Champion and signed by the Director, public Affairs, Abdulmumi, Oniyangi,TETFund stated that it has expended over N3.8 billion as bailout to about 1500 stranded Nigerian scholars studying abroad under the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) program to cushion the effect of the current exchange rate.

The organization specifically addressed the case of Kamal Adewole Saka, a lecturer at Federal University, Oye Ekiti, who was awarded a TETFund scholarship for Ph.D. in Psychology at Girne American University, Cyprus. TETFund clarified that Saka’s full tuition had been paid directly to the institution since November 3, 2022, and that his upkeep and other allowances had been disbursed in full to his home institution in 2020.

TETFund attributed the delay in releasing funds to scholars’ home institutions and exchange rate fluctuations. The organization has introduced policy changes, including direct payment of tuition fees to foreign institutions, to address these issues.

TETFund also explained that some scholars were not recommended for bailout due to reasons such as blank submissions, inaccurate information, or completion of studies.

The organization emphasized its commitment to supporting eligible scholars and urged them to follow the appropriate channels for addressing their concerns.