TETFUND: Institutions Stakeholders Seek Increased Funding for Research, Trainings

Beneficiary institutions of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), South- South geo political zone have called for increased funding for research, manpower trainings as well as development of academia-industry based curriculum.

They suggested that Junior Lecturers should be trained abroad to drive the proposed industry-based curriculum noting that such would engender a deviation from the past curriculum which focused on academic class work without inputs from industry experiences and technological advancement.

The stakeholders comprising Vice Chancellors of Universities , Rectors of Polytechnics and administrators of tertiary institutions in the south south region made the call during the 2026 Tetfund Board of Trustees Town Hall Meeting for South/ South geo political zone held in Uyo Akwa Ibom state capital.

Presenting a paper tagged ” From Funding to Impacts: Research, Innovation Digital Transformation and Human Capital Development” the Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt Prof Isaac Opipi admitted that Tetfund has done so much in terms of infrastructural interventions and upgrades in tertiary institutions noting that alot needed to be done in area of human capital development.

Represented by Blessing Jaja, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration of Uniport, Opipi called for special training for students to understand the ethical attitude of Artificial intelligence, AI, and how to mark scripts with AI.

He further called for special training of lecturers, increased salaries and attractive working environment to discourage Nigerian lecturers from migrating for foreign jobs.

His words, “There is need for a formidable mechanism to monitor and assess the impacts and feedback of TETFUND’s intervention

“Again well-equipped laboratories, quick access to research grants will not only boost the educational sector, but improve the quality of education in the country.”

The South South representative on TETFUND Board of Trustee, Hon Abo Uduyok in his remarks appreciated the beneficiary institutions for the massive turn up and listed visible projects facilitated by the Tetfund across tertiary institutions in the country and the South South zone .

He said the Town Hall meeting was aimed at strengthening accountability, deepening engagements and building stronger bond between TETFUND and beneficiary institutions.

In another paper presentation entitled ”University/Industry Collaboration as Catalyst for National Development” ,Tonbarapagha Kingdom, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, suggested an overhaul of tertiary educational curriculum to capture industrial skills as a way forward for the country’s perpetual problem of unemployment .

He attributed Nigeria’s economic challenges and alarming unemployment to insufficient skills content in tertiary education curricula.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education Prof Ubong Essien in his keynote address called for a conscious and intentional curriculum design to include morality and patriotism to nourish and shape Nigeria’s education system and social character.

Essien stated that the interventions by Tetfund in tertiary education was unprecedented in the history of educational development in Nigeria

By Lovina Emole

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