Abdullahi Bichi Baffa, Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says state-owned Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) spent N652.9 billion between 2006 and 2016 on provision of teaching and learning aids and equipment in all the existing public tertiary institutions across the country.
Baffa, who delivered the 2018 University Distinguished Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA), Ondo state on Saturday, entitled, “Paradigm Shift in Infrastructure Development in Nigerian Universities: the TETFund Approach”, noted that all levels of government in Nigeria are making effort to support educational development, but, tasked all Nigerian universities “to uphold best global practices and reduce costs, improve efficiency and institutional effectiveness, improve quality and accuracy.”
He said, “Best practices also include the provision of physical facilities for teaching and learning which hinges on the new paradigms of small group teaching and interactive pedagogy. These practices broadly cover quantity, quality, and utility value of the facility, distribution and ratios, maintenance and replacement policy.” Baffa however promised to continue to support the Ondo state-owned University, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba in tandem with the rules and regulations guiding the operations of the agency, saying Nigeria has both human and non-human resources to make paradigm shift in educational sector.
Responding, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo state commended the enormous contributions of TETFund to the growth of all public tertiary institutions, especially Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, explaining that if not for regular intervention of TETFund, higher institutions in Nigeria would have collapsed.
The Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, pleaded with the TETFund to continue to complement the efforts of Ondo state government to improve the infrastructure status of the university.
Igbekele Ajibefun, the Vice Chancellor of AAUA lauded TETFund for its remarkable impact on the university since its establishment, saying: “TETFund is our dependable ally in our resolve to deliver academic excellence. In the area of infrastructural development, TETFund has executed several projects at AAUA, of which nearly all the projects have been completed.
“Well over 400 members of staff have benefitted from postgraduate training and conference attendance sponsorship while a good number of active researchers have received research grants from TETFund” Ajibefun said.
YOMI AYELESO, Akure
