Bogoro: A new direction for TETFUND By Simeon Nwakaudu It is no longer news that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, has become an international brand. A number of African countries have since studied this organization and replicated same in their respective countries. What is news, however, is that TETFUND has now being re-focused and given a new direction by its new helmsman, Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro. An accomplished international academic, Professor Bogoro has settled down to re-define TETFUND and given it the required lease of life necessary to address the multiple challenges facing the nation’s tertiary education sector. Since April this year when President Jonathan approved his appointment, Professor Bogoro has proved to be the tonic needed to lift the bars of performance in this strategic agency. Indeed, the leadership at TETFUND is initiating new developmental concepts and stregthening existing ones. The fulcrum of the new direction is the comprehensive transformation of the public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education with a view to making them more transparent in project and programme initiation and execution, for the purpose of achieving the transformation that President Jonathan dreamt of at the beginning of his administration. Bogoro, in one of his earliest interviews upon assumption of office as the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, indicated that he intends to capitalise on the political will of the President to change the face of tertiary education while positively developing a sub-sector that was hirtherto neglected. He is of the view that the fact that President Jonathan reformed TETFUND from an organization that dwelt solely on infrastructural development between 1993 and 2011, to one that has a broader focus on development of key aspects of tertiary education speaks volumes. The new administrative head of TETFUND says his leadership would concencrate on the new concepts and programmes that would enhance quality teaching and learning in public tertiary institutions across the country. This would ultimately help the Federal Government to achieve its goal of improving access to quality tertiary education amongst the Nigerian populace. He maintained that aside critical infrastructural development, library development (traditional and virtual), book development and publishing would receive improved attention as well as training and retraining of the necessary manpower to drive the institutions of higher learning to become centres of excellence where all Nigerians would be proud to send their children to. Bogoro said: “TETFUND has effectively re-focused to revive tertiary education in Nigeria. We have innovated programmes and projects targeted at improving facilities and academic staff for the growth desired by all Nigerians. We do not want to expand our frontiers beyond what our law says and we do not want to encroach on the functions of the regulatory agencies. Nigerians should expect improved service from TETFUND, hinged on transparency and accountability”. At different fora where he engaged with TETFUND critical stakeholders at the zonal level, Bogoro stressed that he would not only consolidate on the tradition where TETFUND projects are never abandoned, he would continue to interract with all stakeholders to ensure the timely execution of TETFUND projects for the benefit of Nigerians. Bogoro is bringing to the TETFUND development platform several years of academic excellence and managerial capacity garnered from national and international institutions. He is bringing a fresh perspective to tertiary education development with the advantage of working across two critical levels of the Nigerian tertiary education sector, the universities and the polytechnics. His experience as a consultant to World Bank, UNDP, USAID and Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, will greatly help as he continues with the task of giving TETFUND a new direction. The facts on ground prove that President Jonathan’s reform of TETFUND has led to improved funding and facilities for Nigerian tertiary institutions. Aside the normal interventions, TETFUND has under the High Impact Projects invested over N109 billion in the country’s Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to support their emergence as Centres of Excellence. The recent construction of multi-media teaching laboratories in 58 Federal and State Colleges of Education and the rehabilitation and equipment of laboratories in 51 Federal and State Polytechnics further attest to the commitment of TetFund to making Nigerian tertiary institutions to be globally competitive in teaching, learning, research and innovation. This is very important because with the solid foundation that we are laying at the basic education level, it is necessary that when these children transit to higher education, they will find an environment that is also conducive to academic and professional pursuit to advance the dynamism of our great country, Nigeria. . The National Research Fund being run by TETFUND is open to every tertiary institution to access in the following research categories: humanities/social sciences; science, technology and innovation; and other crosscutting areas relevant to the national development. Already, the sum of N3 billion has been side aside by TertFund as initial seed money for this purpose. The Minister of State for Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike disbursed a total sum of N266.5million to 13 successful first batch beneficiaries whose research proposals were considered considered relevant and approved by the Board of Trustees of TertFund. TETfund as an international brand that has completely transformed tertiary education in Nigeria through funding of infrastructural and academic development projects. The Federal Government through the use of resources under TETFund has changed a hitherto sad commentary into an international reference point. This positive development is irreversible because, Professor Bogoro has brought added value to this system. Bogoro’s programmes will consolidate on the gains of a nation in dire need of stars determined to make a difference. There is no doubt that we are about to see an era of unprecedented transformation in tertiary education. Reasonably, we must extend our sincere gratitude to President Jonathan for fishing out another awesome, patriotic and committed Nigerian to serve on the Transformation train in the interest of Nigeria.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:17:31 +0000
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