Open appeal to the Tertiary Education Trust fund

Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) It has become necessary  for us Stranded scholars ( TSS) to write a public  letter to the Executive  Secretary of TETFund.

The purpose of this letter is to  enable  him  correct  a  disorder  in  the  reimbursement  of  funds  to  currently  and  formerly stranded  Nigerian  students  who  studied overseas  between  2013 and  2017.

This  letter  is coming  from  the  Forum  of  Nigeria  Tertiary  Education  Trust  Fund  (TETFund)  Stranded Scholars  (TSS) in  Nigeria  and the diaspora. It is worthy  of note that the TETFund Stranded Scholars  (TSS) is a group of academics  from the  Nigerian  public  institutions  who  were nominated  by their  various  institutions  for  foreign training  with  funding  through  the  TETFund  Academic  Staff  Training  and  Development (ASTD)  programme  between  2013 and  2017. The  ASTD fund  is approved  and disbursed  in the Nigerian  currency  (Naira) which  means the fund awarded to the scholars  can be affected by the  fluctuations  of Foreign  Exchange  as well  as the price  of crude  oil.  Thus,  the  Foreign Exchange  crisis  in  Nigeria  affected  the  value  of the  disbursed  amounts  awarded  to scholars within  this  period. Payments  released  to scholars  were grossly  insufficient.  Due to this  factor, scholars  suffered  untold  hardship.  Many  of us had to resort  to borrowing  (home  and abroad) and selling  off  our  properties  to augment  the  shortfalls.  Many  Nigerians  will  remember  how the depreciation  of the Naira caused  untold  hardship  in  the country  let  alone  those  of us who were studying  abroad. It took the resilience  of the  Nigerian  man  we had built  in  before jetting  out of  the country  to withstand the psychological  torture that overwhelmed  us, trying  to survive  those hard years of low-quality  Naira  as  students  abroad.  Our  conditions  nosedived  pitiably  from  ordinary TETFund  Stranded  Scholars  to frustrated  and downgraded  esteemed  ones until  we became completely  wrecked and wretched  as students.   Our attentions  wobbled  between  sanity  and insanity.  Indeed, it was a hard struggle  to maintain  balance  as the situation  adversely  affected our productivity.  In time,  our indebtedness  became a fresh burden to the pennilessness  we dwelt in.  Our  lenders  became  scourges  upon  us  to  repay  the  debts.  Despite  these  challenges,  we successfully  completed  our studies  and resumed  duties  at our respective  institutions  but some were unable  to return  due to the high-level  indebtedness  to their  foreign  institutions. While  still  there and upon our return,  within  the period mentioned  above, several  appeals were made by the affected scholars  to TETFund through  our home-based institutions  for an upward review  of  the monies  awarded  before the  depreciation  of Naira  and consider  reimbursement.

These  appeals  were  not  honoured  until  you  (current  Executive  Secretary) was reappointed. Upon your  reappointment  Sir,  you magnanimously  approved an upward  review  of payments. That single  act of yours immediately  annulled  our long  years of distorted financial  stability  and returned  light  and hope into  our  hearts  and families.  Our gratitude  is  immeasurable  for  your genuine  concern  and efforts  so far in  paying  the upgrades  to the  stranded scholars.  You have proved that nothing  else  is greater  than  education,  and nothing  else is greater  than  the teacher in  the  evolution  and progress  of  society. 

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The  disillusionment  about  our  country,  which  had covered  our psyche  due to the severity  of our  situation  and made  us  disgruntled  citizens  got cleared earnestly,  by your considerate  heart and sparked off  a new light  of confidence  and hope in us, about the Nigerian  state. As  planned,  the  reimbursements  went  on  smoothly  until  September  2019  when  it  was suspended  without  notice.  We (TSS) made efforts  to ascertain  the reason(s)  for the suspension but all  our efforts  in  this  regard were met  with  futilities.  However,  prior  to the  suspension  of the  payments,  a  letter,  dated  25th  February,  2019 (TETF/DAST&D/BENEFICIARIES/2018/VOL.1), which  was  addressed  to  the  Vice Chancellors,  Rectors and Provosts  of public  Institutions  instructed  the beneficiary  institutions to do a full  compilation  of scholars  that fall  under  the TSS with  the financial  implications  and supporting  documents  from  foreign  institutions  to the Office  of the Executive  Secretary within Two (2) weeks from  the date of the letter. 

It has become  imperative  to note that  many  of the institutions  politicised  the compilation  of names  to TETFund  for continued  reimbursements. We  were  shocked  as  to  the  reasons  why  many  of  the  institutions  sent  only  few  names  to TETFund  despite  knowing  that  there  were  more.  Also,  what  has  become  suspicious  is  the transfer  of  left-over  squabbles  or outright  repulsion  of  scholars  seen  to be too independent-minded  for  managements  and  had  some  amounts  to  gain  from  the  reimbursement,  were removed  as punishment. 

This  grossly  fell  short of justice  because the reality  is that the scholars left  out, had completed  their  studies  and have  resumed  work. As such,  the unpaid TSS are of the opinion  that since  TETFUND  has the comprehensive  list  of all  her sponsored  scholars, there  was  no  need  asking  the  institutions  to  compile  any  new  one  to  the  effect  of reimbursement.  At best, a strategy  for the verification  of the unpaid TSS could  be designed to ascertain  their  existence  and be paid accordingly. Similarly,  since  resumption  of  payment  few  weeks  ago,  we  have  noticed  some  slow  and selective  payment  engendered  by a hidden  agenda  of officers  concerned,  which  we want  the Executive  Secretary to look into.

The COVID-19 devastation  of order has not only  locked down cities  but  also  locked  in  the  STRANDED  SCHOLARS  around  the  world,  the  pandemic  is currently  trying  to sniff  out  lives  of  our compatriots  still  in  other  lands.  Imagining  a scholar  who  is  already  stranded  being  gagged  between  a  lock-down  and  lock-in,  is  a  shattering experience. Therefore,  we are using  this  medium  to appeal to you  (The  Executive  Secretary)  to consider paying  the remaining  2013/2014 scholars  as many  among  this  group have been paid before the suspension  of payment  in  2019. This  is because this  set of scholars  endured  hardship  as much as others  who  were paid,  for three  years  into  2015, 2016 and 2017 when  the  financial  crisis came upon the Nigerian  economy.  We appeal for expediency,  sir.

In  conclusion,  the  TETFund  Stranded  Scholars  (TSS)  acknowledges  our  various institutions  and indeed  TETFund  for providing  us with  the opportunity  to study  abroad. We promise  to channel  the knowledge  and skills  we have acquired  into  positive  contributions  that will  turn  around our institutions  into citadels  of excellence.  We are doing  this,  already. Thank  you.   Dr.  Muhammad  Sanusi  Ibrahim, Abubakar Tatari  Ali  Polytechnic  Bauchi, for 2013-2017 TETFund  sponsored stranded  scholars.

Source: Daily Trust