Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, has said the agency is working with vice-chancellors of British universities to return some of its absconding scholars.
He spoke yesterday in Abuja, while hosting a delegation of British vice-chancellors, led by United Kingdom Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith.
Appearing before a House of Representatives ad hoc panel in July this year, Echono had expressed concern that over 137 students, sponsored abroad by the Fund, had absconded.
On the visit by the dons, the executive secretary said it served as an avenue for stakeholders to explore opportunities for a mutually beneficial higher education partnership between UK and Nigerian universities.
His words: “You are aware that we have been in the news for the wrong reasons about some of our scholars that go abroad and will not return.
And it is through partnerships like this that will ensure that those scholars we sponsor must return back home to contribute their quota to national development. It will make it impossible for them to stay back.”
The TETFund boss also disclosed plans to establish four multi-disciplinary laboratories across the federation.
He described as embarrassing, situations where research is prolonged in the country due to lack of equipment.
Earlier, leader of delegation, Smith, sought a deeper education research relationship between the two countries.
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