The Tertiary Education Trust Fund,(TETFUND), said it has so far disbursed N122 billion on its tertiary education intervention stating further that it has an outstanding disbursement of N34 billion in its 2016 budgetary disbursements.
The Executive Secretary of TETFUND disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday evening during an oversight function by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND in Abuja.
Further breakdown according to the Executive Secretary shows that within the year under review,the N74bn was allocated to Universities,while N57 billion has been disbursed with the balance of N17bn left.
For the Polytechnics, N40billion was allocated ,while N31billion was disbursed with N8.4 billion outstanding disbursement.
For the Colleges of education, N45 billion was allocated, while N32.8billion was disbursed with the outstanding of N8.6billion.
Meanwhile,the Executive Secretary ,while briefing the Senators on oversight function decried the fact that many Nigeria scholars are not publishing in the right outlets which would give them competitive age globally,in addition to improving the poor ranking of Nigeria higher institutions.
He however noted that TETFUND is reviewing some grey areas that will ensure that Nigeria improves in its ranking.
According to him,ensuring that the Tertiary education envrionment is well structured with good facilities would be given priority with proper funding in subsequent TETFUND interventions,since it adds to ratings of Universities by global rating institutions.
He also informed that students who are going to advanced studies on TETFUND interventions will target highly rated Universities o that they grow in line with global competitive standards.
He also informed that the research fundings of institutional based research categories,and National research funds will be priortised.
In his response,Senator Jibrin Barau,the Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Education challenges the institution to ensure that Nigeria Universities return to global competitive heights while urging the Executive Secretary to come up with any suggestion in the amendment of the Acts that could ensure they realise their mandate accordingly.
