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Still in a bid to reposition public tertiary institutions towards improved academic standard, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, recently hosted leaders and members of various unions of beneficiary institutions to an interactive session in Abuja.
They include unions of public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. For the Fund, the meeting was yet, another proactive engagement against the backdrop of the prevailing challenges in public schools, with a view to sustaining steady growth and development of the tertiary education sub-sector. Echono strongly believes that a key success factor remains a consistent engagement and brainstorming on how best to improve the situation.
Beyond providing enabling environment for participants to understand some of the challenges and difficulties in delivering quality education in the nation’s institutions, the forum also served to discuss how to mitigate incidences of industrial disputes in the tertiary education sector.
“Furthermore, it afforded the opportunity to build and solidify cooperation and collaboration between the Fund, its beneficiary institutions and the unions on matters that affect the growth and development of tertiary education in the country.
It is a common knowledge that the primary mandate of the Fund is to rehabilitate, restore and consolidate tertiary education in the country using funding alongside project management, and the Executive Secretary has been committed to this goal since assumption of office.
Addressing participants at the forum, Echono said, “You will all agree with me that education occupies an important place in the scheme of things not only in Nigeria but globally.
Specifically, nations have relied on the tertiary education sub-sector for the development of the critical manpower needed in all sectors, for development and industrialisation.
“The world is currently faced with several consequential challenges that include among others, climate change and population explosion. It is universally accepted that tackling these challenges will remain elusive without significant investments in education.
“The primary responsibilities of our tertiary institution is the development of human capital through the advancement of knowledge, skills and other competencies. Whereas the trend globally is tilting towards digital and innovative knowledge to tackle global challenges in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as a nation, we are still far from attaining this goal.”
He added that, “The global community as reflected in the United Nations Development Goals 2030 has called for unified efforts for the development and improvement in tertiary education. It is for similar purpose that the tertiary Education Trust Fund was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the unions play a significant role not only in the development of our tertiary institutions but of the entire education sector and the country through their various activities and contributions.
“The unions, viewed in positive light remain empowerment groups and there would have been little or no effectiveness in the nation’s educational system without these unions – ASUU, ASUP, COEASU and the non-teaching unions such as NASU, SSANU and NAAT, among others.
“The unions accordingly remain stakeholders that should be encouraged. Several studies have shown that strong unions could lead to innovation while lecturer/teacher leadership and empowerment has been identified as a key factor for all unions.”
It was indeed, the recognition of the crucial roles played by the unions in the development of education that the Fund constantly engage them in interactive activities. Echono specifically believe that the unions have contributions to make to the Fund’s activities and programmes, consequently, he interfaces with them regularly.
On the issue of threatening industrial actions, Echono highlighted the consequences on the standard of education as well as general development of the education sector.
He said: “It is also a fact that issues related to industrial strike affect the development of education in the country. Studies have shown a link between poor student performance and industrial strike by unions.
“The arguments generally are that the quality of teaching and learning will significantly improve when teaching and learning are uninterrupted. Furthermore, building world class institutions requires a consistent and regular academic calendar and this is often affected by industrial strikes.
“However, a closer look will also show that many industrial strikes by the unions were for the improvement in teaching and learning conditions for both staff and students. It is for these reasons that sessions like this are organised to deliberate and find common grounds on issues of mutual interest and benefits. There is the urgent need for all stakeholders to unify efforts to reposition our tertiary institutions for the challenges of the times.
The unions are indeed part of the history of the establishment of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. In the 1980’s, the decay of all tiers of education in Nigeria became glaring. Facilities had almost collapsed; teachers and lecturers’ morale were at its lowest. Enabling environment for conducive teaching and learning was absent.
Highlighting the steps that led to the establishment of TETFund, Echono was elated that the Fund currently provides intervention in 253 public tertiary institutions in the country, which include, 99 Universities, 79 Polytechnics and 75 Colleges of Education.
Leading the university union – Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), was the National President, Emmanuel Osodeke. He believed that industrial actions embarked upon by ASSU had been effective in attracting government’s attention to the development of education in the country. In fact, he disclosed that even TETFund was a product of strike.
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