TETFUND Vows Continued Prioritisation of Tertiary Education in Nigeria

•To meet global standards

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A member of the Board of Trustees of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Nurudeen Adeyemi, yesterday, said the agency would continue to prioritise the transformation of tertiary education as a critical engine for growth, innovation, and societal transformation.

Speaking on Monday in Ilorin, during a town hall meeting for stakeholders of TETFund beneficiary institutions in the North-central zone, Adeyemi said the transformation agenda would assist the agency to position the country’s tertiary institutions among the best in the world.

According to him, “Since TETFund’s inauguration by the President and Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Board of Trustees has pursued with vigour a reform-driven policy agenda anchored on the Renewed Hope vision.

“This agenda prioritises the transformation of tertiary education as a critical engine for growth, innovation, and societal transformation.

“It is in pursuit of these pillars that the Board has approved and implemented numerous ground-breaking projects and initiatives across the six geopolitical zones of our country.”

He added, “One of the most remarkable areas of progress has been in academic staff training and development.

“Thousands of lecturers across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have benefitted from sponsorships for PhD and Master’s programmes, both locally and internationally.

“In addition, the Fund has supported teaching practice, conference participation, and professional development programmes, ensuring that Nigerian institutions are equipped with a globally competitive workforce of highly trained academics.”

Adeyemi said, “In the area of infrastructure development, the Fund has continued to address glaring gaps through the construction and equipping of modern lecture theatres, laboratories, libraries and ICT facilities.

“Several institutions have also benefitted from new student hostels and administrative buildings, some of which were delivered through innovative public-private partnerships.

“These infrastructural interventions are not only transforming the physical landscape of campuses but also enhancing the teaching and learning environment to meet international standards.”

On the town hall meeting, Adeyemi stated, “This gathering is not a routine event, but a strategic platform for open dialogue, reflection, and collective action.

“It is designed to foster meaningful engagement between the Fund, Its beneficiary Institutions, and their surrounding communities across all six geopolitical zones of our country.

“As we converge here today, our purpose is clear; to strengthen accountability, deepen transparency, and build stronger bonds of trust among all stakeholders who share the responsibility of advancing higher education in Nigeria”.

He stressed, “The decision of the Board of Trustees to initiate these town hall meetings of this nature is in line with the Fund’s standing mandate to ensure inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability in all its interventions.

“The board recognises that tertiary education cannot thrive in isolation; it must be responsive to the aspirations of its host communities and aligned with the developmental agenda of our nation.

“Thus, this forum provides a rare opportunity for beneficiary institutions, community leaders, students, policy makers, and the general public to interact directly with TETFund.”

Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Dr. Kamoru Kadir, lauded the support of TETFund in educational institutions in the country.

In a chat with newsmen in Ilorin yesterday on the side-lines of the town hall meeting, Kadir said without the interventions of TETFund, many institutions of high learning in the country would have become glorified secondary schools.

He said the agency had changed the face of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, in view of the numerous interventions from TETFUND.

Kadir also called for the support of the agency in the areas of hostel provision, utility vehicles, and construction of feeder roads in the institution.