The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has lamented that 85 per cent of Nigerian students sent abroad on government scholarships never returned to contribute to national development.
He also enjoined tertiary institutions nationwide to phase out satellite campuses, describing them as unsustainable and inefficient. Alausa, who spoke at a one-day engagement with heads of institutions, bursars, and procurement directors in Lagos, said the Federal Government was repositioning the funding framework to ensure public resources are used efficiently.
On foreign scholarships, Alausa revealed a shift in policy, explaining that more funds would now be invested in building local capacity.
“Our evidence-based analysis showed that 85 per cent of Nigerian students sent abroad on government scholarships never returned to contribute to national development. Many of the programmes they studied could have been handled effectively within our own institutions,” he stated.
