Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) has set up the Committees on operationalisation of equipment upgrade in workshops and laboratories for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education (technical) as well as committee on assessment/review of TETFund centres of excellence, and committee on operationalisation of skills development special intervention.
Inaugurating the committees in Abuja yesterday, the Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sonny Echono disclosed that the constitution of the committees underscored the importance the fund attaches to strengthening its intervention activities towards the delivery of its mandate.
According to him, the members of the committees were carefully selected based on their individual capacities and the belief that they will collectively work as a team to deliver on the vital assignments.
He also stated that the setting up of the committees was in line with the fund’s commitment to deepen its content-based interventions and facilitate the institutionalisation of research and development.
He noted that concerted efforts are being made to identify more innovative ways to enhance research capacities of the beneficiary institutions and promote skills development for the teeming youths.
Echono argued that modern economic development process continues to depend on increased productivity arising from purposeful and problem-solving research.
“It has been acknowledged that no society can succeed without adequate research infrastructure facilities to support innovative research for solving societal problems,” he said.
He further disclosed that the national survey funded by the fund in 2022 to assess the availability, functionality and compatibility of all existing research facilities across the beneficiary institutions, in relation to contemporary requirements and global best practices, revealed that most of the equipment in the laboratories and workshops of the beneficiary institutions were obsolete, inadequate or underutilized.
“Notably, improving and expanding Nigeria’s R&D infrastructure and facilities are essential if we are to raise the level of productivity and move the country to a knowledge-based economy.
“Consequently, the fund made provision under the 2024 intervention for the upgrade of the equipment in workshops and laboratories for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education (technical).
“To ensure effective implementation of the intervention, the fund constituted an advisory committee chaired by Prof. Hayward Babale to advise on the operationalisation of the upgrade of equipment in workshops and laboratories of the institutions,” he added.
The terms of reference of the committee chaired by Babale include: To assess the state of workshops and laboratories in target institutions (universities, polytechnics, colleges of education), this includes equipment and other facilities in use.
It is also expected to determine criteria for upgrade of equipment in the workshops and laboratories.
The committee was also to make any other recommendations that will ensure effective and efficient use of the workshops and laboratories in the institutions for maximum impact, including any additional support needed.
