The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc Sonny Echono, has revealed that the Fund has set aside N25 billion to upgrade equipment in laboratories and workshops at public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country.
He added that this provision is part of the 2024 intervention budget, which addresses the decline in research facilities among recipient universities.
Echono stated that the findings revealed that equipment in these institutions’ laboratories and workshops was obsolete, insufficient, or underutilised.
Echono made these statements on Monday at the launch of three ad hoc committees tasked with expanding skill development and boosting the Fund’s intervention actions.
He added that the Fund has made provisions for polytechnic skills development programmes as part of its Special Interventions.
To guarantee optimal implementation, an Advisory Committee chaired by Prof. Hayward Babale was formed to advise on the operationalisation of equipment upgrades.
Echono requested the committees to submit their reports within six weeks after their constitution’s date in order to help the country develop further.
In response, Prof. Idris Bugaje, Chairman of the Committee on the Operationalization of Skills Development Special Intervention, praised the Fund for investing in skills development and emphasised its critical role in shaping the youth’s future.
He emphasised the necessity of upgrading equipment, developing local talent, and leveraging indigenous capabilities for national progress.
The committees are as follows: Committee on operationalizing equipment upgrades in workshops and laboratories for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education (technical), Committee on assessing/reviewing TETFund centres of excellence, and Committee on operationalizing skills development special intervention.
Echono emphasised the importance of developing and extending Nigeria’s research and development (R&D) infrastructure and facilities in order to move the country towards a knowledge-based economy.
He indicated that the 2024 intervention will include around N25 billion for the initial phase of renovating workshop and laboratory equipment.
In terms of skill development, Echono applauded the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for formalising informal apprenticeship training through the National Skills Qualification Framework.