Education
TETFUND Seeks Innovation To Fast-Track National Development
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, says there is a need to nationalise innovation and technology to fast-track the much-needed national development.
Bogoro said this while speaking at the seventh School of Postgraduate Studies Annual lecture (2019/2020) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) last Thursday.
According to him, the mileage attained by the most great economies today is tied to the huge investments on technology and innovations.
“We need to think and act fast in investing in our universities and other tertiary institutions toward that direction.
“If we should do things right, the frustrations that have hung over our institutions, especially the universities, will disappear.
“On our part, we shall continue to support research works and innovations in our tertiary institutions as this is what drives national development,” he said.
The executive secretary lamented that the traditional appropriation funding window for public universities in the country had failed the nation.
Bogoro noted that for universities to effectively carry out their mandate of teaching, research and community development, there must be enhanced funding.
“The dwindling revenue in the country has posed serious threat to these institutions and therefore, emphasises the need for us to do more in driving and supporting research and development.
“The out of the box innovative option of funding our public univers*ities as negotiated and secured by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, after four painful years of negotiation, is considered as the saving grace in the sustainability and improved ranking of our universities.
“Most of the interventions carried out so far on our tertiary institutions of higher learning as can be seen in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education have been carried out by the TETFund.
“Having said this too, I will say there is also the need to shore up the content components of these institutions from about 15 per cent to 33 per cent,” he said.
According to him, after the commitment of huge Tetfund intervention funds in improving basic physical infrastructure in these public universities and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, there can be a paradigm shift from physical structures to mainly content components.
He noted that areas such as research, academic staff training and development, library development and other areas could also be considered.
The TETFund boss who was the guest lecturer commended UNILAG for its research efforts, noting that it had rightfully earned its place as one of Africa’s best in that space.
”Universty of Lagos is the best performer on the National Research Fund grant. They have been very persistent and I want to say that the quality of leadership in this university has made all these possible.
“It takes a serious academic to believe in research and go ahead to win grants. We will continue to support focused leadership in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education,” Bogoro said.
Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said the primary objective of the institution was to provide academic and research programmes.
Ogundipe noted that these programmes were geared toward meeting the high-level needs for knowledge, skills and capacity development in Nigeria and the world at large.
He said the school had since grown in leaps and bounds with more than 15,000 registered students on its various programmes for the session.
According to him, out of the figure, over 8,000 students are expected to graduate at the upcoming convocation ceremony in July.
“This is turning our institution into a postgraduate university in line with the expectation of the Federal Government first generation universities.
“No doubt, financing in Nigeria is a daunting task. It is a major factor for the recurring decimal of industrial actions and closure of our ivory towers. It has charged educational administrators to evolve strategies of generating additional funds.
“ Pursuit of qualitative education at the postgraduate level remains a financial burden that requires collective responsibility of all stakeholders. This is a pursuit that the TETFund has demonstrated.
“Permit me to remark that the TETFund has been of immense benefit to lecturers, researchers and graduate students at the University of Lagos.
“It has provided and maintained some facilities for us. A typical example is the University Scholars’ Suites, which has been very useful in accommodating visiting scholars to the university.
“This has aided our partnerships and our research and training efforts, with co-institutions in Nigeria and overseas among other benefits,” Ogundipe said.
He added that recently, TETFund signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) that would train 17 academic staff nominees from UNILAG outside the country.
“The University of Lagos was chosen as a virtual hub for the programme,” he said.
In his remark, Chairman of the occasion, Dr Ernest Ndukwe stressed the need for the private sector and education institutions to work together for mutual benefits.
“It is when the private sector practitioners recognise the importance and benefits of research that they finance research,” he said.
According to Ndukwe who is also the Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, innovation is directly related to the adequacy of its available trained manpower resources.
“This is why the government and public sector and other international fund agencies and some private organisations are traditionally funding education and research,” he added.
He, however, said there was a need for universities to be look for ways to expand on other funding opportunities for research due to dwindling resources of government in recent times
Earlier, the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies of the university, Prof. Alabi Soneye, said while higher education remained a paramount source of knowledge, qualitative research remained the veritable tool in the development and advancement of society.
According to him, the mirage of challenges bedevilling sustainable development may not cease in a hurry if inadequate funding continued to impede qualitative higher education and in-depth researches. (NAN)
The Executive Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Alabo David Briggs and his Post Primary Schools Board, counterpart, Dr. Sam Emejuru recently embarked on a joint visit to Model Girls Secondary School, Mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Arera of Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after interacting with the students, Alabo Briggs said both of them were in the school to know how the students are faring, how happy they are, and to also know their areas of need and then take pragmatic decisions that would enhance the wellbeing of the students.
Describing the school as the only boarding school in Rivers State made up of Senior and Junior Secondary, the UBE boss said the visit has actually afforded them the opportunity to know what is lacking in the school, and promised that every machinery would be adequately put in place to ensure that the school is made more attractive and students well taken care of.
He further maintained that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and staff of the school must rise to the occasion so as to bring back the lost glory of the school and ensure that the students are treated and well handled like their own children.
Corroborating the UBE boss, Dr. Sam Emejuru of the Post Primary School promised that everything possible would be done to reposition the school, and appealed to all concerned to be patient.
During the visit, the two Board chairmen and their members met with the school authorities wherein issues bordering on the school were discreetly ironed out and some good changes made.
Alabo Briggs also gave cash to some of the students that performed well in the essay competition that took place in Port Harcourt.
The students were also given cartons of sanitary pads to mark the International Day of the Girl Child which was celebrated all over the world recently.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) support programme on report writing for Chief Supervisors and Evaluators of the Local Government Areas took place recently at the UBE Board Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the participants, the Board member in charge of Supervision/Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha, described the programme as very interesting and educative as it is aimed at broadening the knowledge of the Chief Supervisors and Evaluators on report writing.
While thanking UBEC for the initiative, Chief Anucha also commended the resource persons who came from UBEC Abuja for doing a good job and appealed to the participants to see the support programme on report writing as an opportunity to do better.
Also speaking, the Board member, Project/Technical, Dr. Walson Ominini described the programme as a good one that all the participants must take seriously for the good of Rivers State.
Ominini used the medium to announce the personnel audit for staff of the Local Government Education Authorities in the three Senatorial zones coming up next week at the Board Headquarters adding that any staff of the LGEA who does not take part in the Audit should regard himself or herself as not being a staff of UBE.
In her vote of thanks, the Director, Quality Assurance, Mrs. Nnenna Osumenya thanked UBEC for the programme, and described it as a welcomed development.
She particularly thanked the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alabo David Briggs and the Board members for giving the programme the needed attention.
By: Akujobi Amadi
In cognizance of the value of reading in educational, career and knowledge pursuits, TotalEnergies Joint Venture(JV) Asset has committed itself to instilling the habit in students of secondary schools to enable them succeed in their academic pursuits and become good leaders of tommorow.
This, it is achieving through its Annual Book Reading and Open Day programme.
This year’s event, organised for Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State,with the theme, ‘The World Is A Maze; Navigate It — Read’ and held at the Event Centre, TotalEnergies Office, PortHarcourt, explored the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’ by Ghanaian author, Alex Agyei Agyiri.
Participating schools chosen across Port Harcourt included Government Technical College, PortHarcourt; Bishop Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Rumuobiakani; Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School; Community Secondary School, Rumuomasi, and Hilltop Prime International College.
Others were Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama; Government Senior Secondary School, Elekahia; Community Secondary School, Nkpogu; Dietams International Schools; and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
In his address, the Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, TotalEnergies EP, Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, said reading habit remains a major essential needed for life’s development in information, direction and character building, and stressed the need for the students, many of whom he said would grow to become leaders to cultivate and sustain the culture.
Cassassoles, who was represented by the Executive Director, JV Asset, PortHarcourt, Obi Imemba, quoted former American President, Barack Obama’s words, “reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” and stated that “this clearly aligns with the theme of the day and implies that in order to successfully navigate the complexities of life, one needs to read”.
Cassassoles said “as students, many of you will grow to be leaders and leaders need a lot of information to stay relevant. The books you read will shape your future and through them you will find wisdom to make a difference”.
According to him, the book reading event is one that the company holds dear to heart as it promotes the culture of reading among students in Nigeria.
While encouraging the students to make conscientious effort to research good books with themes and characters that align with what they intend to do in future, Cassassoles expressed the hope that the students would commit themselves to a life of reading, adding that “I expect that you will be leaving here with a clearer idea of the career path you want to pursue “.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, described this year’s theme as ‘most appropriate’ at a time when students have abandoned the text book for not only the phone – Whatsapp, Twitter etcetera but other vices.
Represented by the Technical Adviser to the Commissioner, Dr Joy Nwamaka Joseph, Chukwuma noted that reading is an effective tool for engaging students in critical thinking, saying “a student that reads focuses attention on the task at hand, immersing them in information and improving his/her concentration and memory”, insisting that students must read in order to navigate this maze-like world successfully.
The Commissioner commended TotalEnergies for “always seeking to improve the educational standards of our pupils, students, under/post graduates in our institutions and for inspiring them to develop the habit of reading as a life style”.
Earlier, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, revealed that the annual reading event is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeted at making the best of future leaders.
In his closing remarks, the Special Adviser, People and Talent Management, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Samuel Nkwo, lauded the students for going beyond reading the book to taking lessons there from.
“What has happened here today has given us encouragement that this is a good thing to do and that we should continue to do it” Nkwo said.
Highlights of the event included reading and discussion of the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’, questions and answers session and presentation of gift items including school bags, solar lamps, books among others to the students.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu