By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo
This week, Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) announced that over 137 lecturers have absconded their studies to pursue other opportunities abroad.

TetFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, made the shocking revelation before the House of Representatives, highlighting how Nigerian educationists use the board as a stepping stone to leave the country for better opportunities.
Despite the fact that the country is unbearable for many due to the scorching hardship, almost everyone is seeking an escape route, that shouldn’t be the yardstick to halt other people’s success because absconded bring halt to the effected school until return is made.
The information is not shocking to me, as an insider, I’ve heard how lecturers from other institutions use Tetfund foreign sponsorship to get to their ambitious country for more opportunities, this misfortune is engineered by our so-called educationists, who always clamor for rights and expect everyone else to do things the right way.
It is learnt and clear that many lecturers who travel abroad for study do so for greener pastures in the diaspora, not for the knowledge and passion for their country’s development, but for the money they want to put in their pockets. Many are motivated by the financial opportunities and better lifestyles available across the border.
The recent decision by TETFund to suspend foreign scholarships has sparked debate among Nigerian educationists. While some argue it hinders academic growth, I believe it’s a necessary step for Nigeria’s development. This move will ultimately benefit our country.
We have our own schools, so why not patronize them? This will surely improve our economy and expertise. TETFund can nurture local talent and build a stronger domestic research and academic infrastructure by using the money to inject significant grants into our schools.
If foreign scholarships contribute to “japa” – the phenomenon of skilled professionals leaving Nigeria for other opportunities abroad – the country is losing valuable talent that could be used for its own development.
If TETFund can redirect resources towards local initiatives, it can address Nigeria’s educational challenges and contribute to the overall development of Nigerian schools.
However, suspending TETFund foreign scholarships alone won’t help develop Nigerian tertiary institutions if the children of the wealthy and our leaders continue to push the their children to study abroad in expensive schools. We can only truly develop our schools when the government takes concrete measures to improve them and bans the study of specific courses offered in Nigeria. This should also apply to TETFund, which should only allow foreign scholarships for courses not offered in Nigerian schools then we can all support Tetfund suspension move.
Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo wrote from Kaduna Polytechnic, Mass Communication Department via auwalgoronyo@gmail.com