Addressing The Dilemma Of Lecturers On International Scholarships-TETfund

 

TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) is actively addressing the concerns of Nigerian lecturers pursuing studies abroad through the TETfund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) programs, according to a statement from Abdulmumin Oniyangi, the Acting Director of Public Affairs at TETFund.

The lecturers have been facing challenges due to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, leading to requests for financial assistance to cover their living expenses. These appeals have come from scholars studying in countries like Malaysia, India, and Kenya.

Initially, under the TSAS program, TETFund directly disbursed full tuition and living expenses to beneficiary institutions. However, due to complaints and non-compliance with guidelines by some institutions, the disbursement method was reviewed in 2019. Since then, tuition payments have been made directly to foreign training institutions to mitigate exchange rate fluctuations, while living expenses have been retained in domiciliary accounts before transfer to scholars.

To address the issue of exchange rate volatility and protect the scholarship bond, TETFund has started paying living expenses directly to scholars from 2022, with any exchange rate variation costs covered by the Fund.

Furthermore, TETFund has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with foreign institutions to ensure the welfare and academic progress of its scholars.

It's notable that TETFund is actively working to compute and address shortfalls in living expenses for affected scholars and is considering an increase in living expense rates starting from the 2023/2024 academic year due to the rising cost of living in foreign countries where these scholars are studying.