By Gom Mirian
In a bid to improve the standard of education in Nigerian tertiary institutions, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The collaboration, according to TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Arch. Sunny Echono, is aimed at ensuring effective development on Nigerian campuses by ensuring that funds given to colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities are widely used for the provision of the necessary personnel, equipment and infrastructure to raise the standard of education in tertiary institutions.
Speaking during a meeting with the leadership of NANS in Abuja on Monday, Echono stated that the partnership was necessary because some of the funds released in the past had not been properly utilised.
While stressing the need for equipping students with skills and right support, he noted that the collaboration would help to address some of the challenges faced by students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, particularly those concerning insufficient infrastructure and inadequate funding.
“We want to be able to identify on each campus a contact person that will be able to checkmate our projects so that we can have first-hand information, even before sending our team there.
“We are doing several engagements with other stakeholders. So, going forward, this will make our monitoring process more transparent.”
The President, NANS, Comrade Usman Barambu, expressed gratitude to TETFund for partnering with the student body. He described the collaboration as a step in the right direction towards improving the standard of education in Nigeria.
“We will ensure thorough checks across campuses to ensure that contractors who handle TETFund projects carry out such projects,” he stated.
The student body commended the board for donating a 30-seater coaster bus to them, following their request, saying, “We are here to thank you and encourage the entire management to do more and more for Nigerian students.”
