Echono-led TETFund facilitates industrial harmony in higher institutions
Industrial actions in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions have profound and multifaceted effects on the educational system, students, faculty and the overall socio-economic landscape.
These disruptions often stem from disputes over issues such as inadequate funding, poor working conditions and disagreements on policy implementation. The consequences of these industrial actions are far-reaching and impact the various aspects of the educational sector.
One of the primary repercussions of strikes by academic and non-academic staff is the disruption of academic calendars, as they lead to the postponement or cancellation of classes, examinations and other academic activities.
This instability affects students’ academic progress, resulting in extended graduation timelines and delays in the entry of qualified graduates into the workforce. The educational quality may also suffer as interruptions hinder the smooth flow of curriculum delivery and impede the completion of syllabi.
Furthermore, industrial actions contribute to the deterioration of the relationship between students and faculty. Students may become frustrated and disillusioned due to the uncertainty surrounding their education. The trust and respect for educators erode, leading to a decline in the overall learning experience. This strained relationship negatively impacts the development of critical thinking skills, which are essential for producing well-rounded and competent graduates.
Financial implications are another significant aspect. Students and their families invest considerable resources in education, including tuition fees, accommodation and other related expenses. When strikes occur, the value of this investment diminishes as educational services are disrupted.
Additionally, while the development causes loss of reputation and credibility, as potential students and donors may be deterred by the instability and uncertainty caused by the strike, the reputation of Nigerian tertiary institutions suffer, leading to a decline in enrolment and potential financial challenges for the institutions themselves.
Also, the brain drain phenomenon exacerbates the consequences of industrial actions in higher institutions. Talented and experienced educators may seek employment opportunities abroad due to the instability in the Nigerian education system. This loss of skilled professionals contributes to a decline in the overall quality of education, as institutions struggle to maintain a competent and motivated academic staff.
Socially, the impact is felt across communities and the nation as a whole. The education sector plays a pivotal role in national development, and disruptions caused by industrial actions impede progress. The lack of skilled graduates entering the workforce hampers economic growth, innovation, and the development of a knowledgeable citizenry capable of addressing societal challenges.
In the same vein, the negative effects extend to research and innovation. Continuous disruptions impede research projects, collaborations, and the ability of institutions to contribute meaningfully to advancements in various fields. This, in turn, affects the global competitiveness of Nigerian tertiary institutions and undermines their potential to be recognized as hubs of knowledge and innovation.
Industry experts believed that addressing the root causes of these disputes, such as inadequate funding and poor working conditions, is crucial to fostering a stable and productive educational environment. According to them, only through sustained efforts to resolve these issues can Nigerian tertiary institutions fulfill their role in shaping the future of the nation and contributing to global knowledge and innovation.
Since assumption of office on May 29, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has taken significant strides towards ensuring industrial harmony in public tertiary institutions in line with its Renewed Hope Agenda. At the heart of this is the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sunny Echono.
In his determination to reposition public tertiary institutions and ensure industrial harmony in the Ivory Towers, the Executive Secretary recently met with members and leadership of various unions of TETFund beneficiary institutions.
It was a very significant interaction with the unions of public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education nominated to attend the one-day session. 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 the steady growth and development of the tertiary education sub-sector.
Echono was of the firm belief that a key success factor remains a consistent engagement and brainstorming on how best to improve the sub-sector.
Aside providing enabling environment for participants to understand some of the challenges and difficulties in the delivery of quality education in the nation’s institutions, the meeting equally served as a platform to discuss towards mitigating incidences of industrial disputes in the tertiary education sector as well as look at ways to prevent and avoid their occurrences.
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 Echono has been committed to this goal since assumption of office.
Addressing participants at the forum, Echono said: “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 industrialization.
“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: “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 remained 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.”
On the issue of industrial actions, Echono highlighted the consequences on the standard of education as well as general development on the education sector. He tasked stakeholders to unify efforts to ‘reposition tertiary institutions for the challenges of the times’.
The TETFund boss disclosed that the intervention agency sponsored an estimated 71,106 academic and non-academic staff to foreign and local conferences between 2011 and 2021.
“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”, he stated.
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.
Without a doubt, the Fund has recorded laudable achievements under its various intervention lines since its establishment. These include various infrastructural projects across Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education that range from classrooms, theatres, to halls and laboratories.
The Fund has equally provided sponsorship to thousands of scholars and lecturers across tertiary institutions in Nigeria for academic staff training and development as well as conference/workshops attendance both locally and overseas. It has further equipped and sponsored the publication of books and manuscripts and provided grants to scholars and lecturers under both the NRF and IBR grants.
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