Education
TETFund Increases Research Fund to N8.5bn
By Martin Paul, Abuja
The Board of Trustees (BOT) of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has increased the national research fund from N7.5billion to N8.5 billion for the 2021 research year.
The board also granted N5billion as special intervention to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) which would also be captured from the 2021 budget.
Chairman, TETFund Board of Trustees, Alhaji Kashim Imam, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a two-day capacity building workshop for heads of beneficiary institutions and staff of TETFund Centres of Excellence.
Imam President Muhammadu Buhari directed the special intervention for UNILAG, recalling that the University of Abuja benefited from same gesture this year.
He stressed the importance of research as a prerequisite for national development, adding that no nation could develop without research and noted that research was a very delicate balance for TETFund as it is invisible.
He said as a politician, development is counted in terms of physical infrastructures such as rails, bridges, among others, stating that the fund had to strike a balance of funding physical infrastructures and funding research.
Speaking on the academic development programme of the fund, he said the list of scholars sponsored by TETFund for PhDs and Masters Degrees, were incredible, warning that if the country funds infrastructure without research and scholarships, the institutions would only be half fulfilled.
“TETFund will add another 12 centres of excellence next year and allocate N1billion to each.
“Six state universities and six Polytechnics will be added to the centres of excellence next year and 70 per cent of the funds will be for research funding,” he said.
Executive Secretary of Fund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, said the Centres of Excellence Project was a zonal tertiary education project designed to promote specialisation among participating universities within the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Agriculture and Health areas, among others.
Bogoro said the project is geared towards addressing identified national development challenges, as well as strengthening the capacities of beneficiary universities to deliver high quality training and applied research.
“Within the 5-year gestation period of the TCOE Project, we await success stories and manifest achievements that will stretch the limits of our expectations.
“The R&D and innovation flame has been ignited in Nigeria, thanks to our modest efforts, but the future of this initiative and the possibility of the R&D flame developing into a raging inferno that transforms the research landscape in Nigeria rests squarely on your shoulders,” he charged the centers.
According to him, the workshop was aimed at equipping participants with the information, knowledge and skills in administering the TETFund centres of excellence.
Bogoro reassured the centres of the unwavering support of the fund to achieve the laudable objectives of the centres. While urging them to ensure that the guidelines for the management of the centres were strictly adhered to, he noted that the guidelines as they will engender the success that will in due course, help to secure funds for them locally and internationally as the guidelines were crafted in line with globally acceptable standards.
Earlier, the Director of R&D and TETFund Centres of Excellence, Salihu Bakare, said TETFund’s international profile had risen significantly as other countries like Ghana and Tanzania now come to understudy it and implement their own versions.
Bakare said Nigerian universities must cease to be locally, but work hard to attract foreign students and compete favourably with any university in the world.
He stressed the need for collaboration, noting that TETFund had been granted the provision for collaborations in the 2021 budget.
Education
Bells Varsity Honours 91 Students with First Class at 16th Convocation
Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun, on Saturday awarded 91 students of the institution First Class (Honours) at its 16th Convocation Ceremonies.
The convocation ceremonies are for the 2023/2024 academic session.
Ojediran said that a total of 969 students graduated in the academic session.
He said that they comprised the 91 students who made First Class grade, 505 who secured Second Class (Upper Division), 313 with Second Class (Lower Division) and 60 graduating with Third Class.
The vice-chancellor said that 220 students were graduating in the post-graduate category.
Mr Sally Farouk from the university’s Department of Architecture emerged the overall best student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.
94, according to Ojediran.He said that the institution set out to proffer best solutions from collective knowledge, shared experiences and resources, recognising that education was a lifelong activity.
The vice-chancellor lauded the staff of the university for cooperation and dedication to giving the students quality education.
“You have joined hands with the management of the institution to work on this fertile ground,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Bart Nnaji, said that university was the first private university of technology in Nigeria, noting that it was established in 2005.
Nnaji said that the institution had made remarkable achievements in teaching and research as part of its vision to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria.
“Let me also congratulate the graduating students who have distinguished themselves through their hard work and discipline and are being rewarded today.” he said.
In his remarks, the Chancellor of the institution, Dr Ibrahim Dankwambo, commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for contributions to education development in the country.
Dankwambo also congratulated a former Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, and the Executive Director of Sahara Group, Mr Temitope Shonubi, for honorary doctoral degree given them by the university.
Report says that Okebukola and Shonubi were conferred with the degree for their outstanding pedigrees and services to humanity. (NAN)
Education
Prioritise Teachers’ Welfare, NUT President Urges Governors
President of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Amba, on Tuesday, called on state governors to prioritise the welfare of teachers to enhance quality education at the grassroots.Amba made the call at the Adamawa NUT Delegates’ Conference, with the theme: “Education Challenge in an Economy of Uncertainty: Effect of Teachers,” in Yola.
While appreciating Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri for the immediate implementation of N70,000 minimum wage, he called on other governor, who had yet to implement it in their states to do so. The NUT president advised members to be productive and strive to undergo training and retraining to further enhance their efficiency and effectiveness.He called on delegates to elect leaders who would lead well and be bold enough to protect the interests of teachers.Amba also appealed to the governor to implement the minimum wage for primary school teachers and local government workers.In his address, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Adamawa chapter, Emmanuel Fashe, decried what he called over-taxation of the civil servants in the state, following the implementation of the new minimum wage.Fashe commended the state government for the recent employment of qualified teachers, calling for employment of more, especially primary school teachers.He urged the delegates to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and vote wisely.The governor, represented by his Special Adviser on Education Reform, Prof. Sofema Geoffrey, reiterated his administration’s commitment to the development of education in the state.According to him, NUT has a lot to showcase in term of support to government to ensuring quality education in the state.Fintri urged the delegates to conduct a peaceful conference.He assured that other issues at the forum, especially the ones on over-taxation, would be put into consideration. (NAN)Education
Over 40 Students Bag First Class at FUL
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
No fewer than 41 Students out of the total number of 1,863 bagged first class degree at the 8th convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Lokoja
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, disclosed this in his speech at the 8th convocation ceremony held at the Felele main Campus of the institution in Lokoja at the weekend.
He said that 461 students were conferred with Second Class Upper and 974 got Second Class Lower while 384 students bagged Third Class and 3 students were awarded Pass Degree.
Professor Olayemi Akinwumi also announced that a total of 117 students were awarded Diploma and 216 with postgraduate degrees: Ph.
D, Master’s and PGD.He said that within his short period in office, the university had embarked on a landmark Collaboration with Rural Electrification Agency to provide reliable power generation via renewal energy solutions such as installation of campus-wide street lighting and establishment of renewable energy training centres.
The Vice Chancellor also announced that Federal University, Lokoja under his administration established the first-ever Zoo and Conservatory in Kogi state to serve not only as a significant hub for research and education but also provide a unique platform for community engagement and environmental conservation.
“It is worth noting that prior to my assumption of office in 2021, only two inaugural lectures were held at our university but now I am proud to share that we have successfully conducted a total of twenty-two inaugural lectures since then.
“In our commitment to fostering engagement with critical societal issues, we have prioritised public lectures as the cornerstone of our mission at FUL. Since our last convocation, we have successfully organized six impactful public lectures that have addressed a variety of important topics” Professor Olayemi Akinwumi further disclosed.