By Olawale Lamina
The Federal Government has approved the sum of N25 billion towards the upgrade of laboratories and workshops in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education (Technical).
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, made the disclosure at the inauguration of a 55-member committee of TETFund National Research Fund and Screening which held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The occasion also witnessed the inauguration of 48-member committee of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the Fund.
The executive secretary said that the NRF Screening and Monitoring Committee charged with implementing and administering the intervention was set up by the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
He recalled that in 2020, the Committee carried out a review of the three thematic areas of the NRF research spectrum and incorporated emerging issues of national developmental challenges requiring innovative solutions.
He explained that, “We undertook an assessment of what the requirements are to meet the change.
“And one of the things we discovered was that we have been addressing the issue around accessing and providing infrastructure to facilitate admissions of Nigerians who undertake programmes in our tertiary institutions.
“Over time, due to our poor maintenance culture, we tend to neglect the issue of quality in terms of the equipment that we have in our laboratories, whether they are functional in terms of the workshop.
Echono revealed further that another N5 billion was also approved for skills-related equipment in the polytechnics.
He urged Polytechnics in the country to identify between three and five skills areas and use the opportunity to mop up Nigerians from the streets
He noted that part of the advantages of teaching of basic skills, include the fact that people would be able to fend for themselves and as well contribute to the economy.
Earlier, at the inauguration of the committee,the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, urged the academia to get involved in contributing to the development of the nation through their cutting edge. He informed of the present government initiatives to ensure that tertiary institutions played their role in research, innovation and teaching.
“Universities and scholars have so much to do to make sure their research contributes to their personal growth and growth of the nation.
He stated that government is committed to reskilling the education sector from primary to tertiary institutions in order to equip the youths with the required skills
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