The Federal Government has approved the sum of N25 billion for the upgrade of laboratories and workshops in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education (Technical).
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, at the inauguration of a 55-member committee of TETFund National Research Fund and Screening, NRFS&MC.
The event also featured the inauguration of 48 committee members of the Technical Advisory Group, TAG, of the Fund.
Mr Echono explained that the Board of Trustees of the Fund set up the NRF Screening and Monitoring Committee, NRFS&MC, charged with the responsibility for implementing and administering the intervention.
He said 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.
“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,” he said.
Mr Echono added that another N5 billion was also approved for skills related equipment in the polytechnics.
He urged the Polytechnics to identify between three and five skills areas and use the opportunity to mop up Nigerians from the streets.
He said that through the teaching of basic skills,, people would be able to fend for themselves and as well contribute to the economy.
Earlier, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman while inaugurating the committees, urged the academia to get involved in contributing to development of the nation through their cutting edge researches.
Mr Mamman said there had been a major shift by the present government to ensure tertiary institutions played its role in research, innovation and teaching.
“Universities and scholars have so much to do to make sure their research contribute to their personal growth and growth of the nation.
He reiterated the commitment if the administration to reskilling the education sector from primary to tertiary institutions in order to requip the youths with required skills
(NAN)
