The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has initiated talks with British university leaders to repatriate Nigerian scholars who have not returned home after their studies. This development surfaced during a meeting in Abuja with a group of British vice-chancellors, steered by the UK Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith.
Sonny Echono, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, addressed this challenge while meeting the British delegation. Echono, who earlier raised the alarm to the House of Representatives ad hoc panel in July about the disappearance of over 137 scholars, reiterated the agency’s commitment to ensuring their return. He emphasized the need for stronger educational ties to prevent scholars from remaining abroad post-study.
Echono also announced plans to set up four state-of-the-art multi-disciplinary laboratories nationwide to enhance research capabilities and curtail the delays caused by inadequate equipment.
The visiting delegation, led by Sir Steve Smith, expressed a keen interest in forging a deeper research collaboration with Nigeria, which would benefit both nations’ educational sectors.
TETFund’s proactive stance and future endeavors reflect a strategic approach to bolstering Nigeria’s academic framework and research competencies through international collaboration and infrastructural development.
