TETFund strengthens ties with US to scale up scholarship programme

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

In its bid to expand its scholarship programme, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has strengthened its ties with the United States government to accommodate the increasing number of participants seeking to further studies abroad. The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, who made this disclosure while playing host to the Cultural Affairs Officer of the United States in Nigeria, Mr. Sterling Tilley, noted that scholars on this partnership will enjoy the full status of TETFund, Fulbright Scholars as well as other opportunities available after the completion of their programmes. In a statement by Director, Public Affairs, TETFund, Dr. Jacob Alada, Bogoro said: ‘’The Fund is looking forward to expanding its scholarship programme to accommodate the increasing number of Academic staff yearning for opportunities for further studies. ‘’The Management of the Fund is ready for such partnership and would facilitate arrangements to ensure it is concretized within the shortest possible time. The US Government wants to partner with TETFund through its Fulbright Programme because of the credible Scholarship Programme the Fund runs. ‘’It should be noted that scholars on this partnership will enjoy the full status of both TETFund and Fulbright Scholars and other opportunities available after the completion of their programmes. ‘’ The Fulbright Programme is sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, under world-wide policy guidelines established by the Fulbright Board. Earlier, Tilley, who was accompanied to the Fund by Miss Bella Anne Ndubuisi, the Cultural Affairs Specialist of the Embassy, stated that the aim of the visit was to strengthen the already existing relationship between the United States Embassy and the Fund through partnership aimed at building capacity of Academics in Nigerian Universities. In particular, the Cultural Affairs Officer stated that the US Government and the Fund could partner through its Fulbright’s Scholarship Programme and the TETFund Academic Staff Scholarship programme whereby Academic staff of Nigeria’s Universities are supported by both the TETFund and US Government to undertake their Masters and PhD Programmes in the US at a cost to be shared. ‘’Furthermore, TETFund Scholars who are undertaking their PhD’s in Science-related fields in Nigeria could also benefit by being jointly sponsored by the Fund and the US Government to undertake their Benchwork in Universities and Research Centers or Institutes in the US. ‘’ This process which started in 2015 with Prof. Bogoro if concluded would further justify the confidence the US Government has on the Fund as one of the foremost Agencies of Government in Nigeria’’, Tilley added.