Our focus is to produce employable graduates, says TETFund boss
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc Sonny Echono, has again, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to producing quality graduates who will not only be employable but also be self-employed.
He spoke during the visit of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to his office early in the week. One of the steps the Fund takes is to change focus to research as well as revamping the concept of SIWESS to deepen relevance of education to national development and create opportunity for practical experience necessary for self-employment.
Echono said: “We have also changed focus to research, the soft component for our intervention because we want to produce Nigerians that are employable.
“We want to deepen the relevance of our institutions to the communities and to national development. So, we are focusing on things like Centres of Excellence.
“We are also trying to work on the employability of our graduates, creating linkages between industries and the academia. So, we are revamping the concept of SIWESS so that people don’t waste three months or six months but have proper cross-fertilization of ideas and of practice so that the children will have hands-on training of what they are expected to do when they leave school.
“Now, we focus on them using their heads and their hands rather than seeking employment in key positions that are no longer there.”
Reacting to the request for collaboration with Anambra State government in enhancing education in the state, Echono referred Governor Soludo to the several interventions of TETFund in various institutions including Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, (UNIZIK).
While admitting that there is need to do more, he noted that a whole lot of TETFund presence is felt in the state’s tertiary institutions.
“I admit that at the level of state institutions, we need to do more but I can assure you that if only to support our own and see that he succeeds as our ambassador, we will see what we can do.
“TETFund is poised to partner institutions of government and all other agencies involved in transforming Nigerian states and improving particularly, the contributions of education sector to national development.
“We are opened also to exchange of ideas that the governor has put up here today. Collaborations and partnerships are key elements in what we do. Ultimately, the solution to our national development challenges lie in educating and securing the future generations of Nigerians. We welcome you and assure you of our sustained and continued support.”
While welcoming Soludo to his Abuja office, Echono said he was proud of him, not just because of his accomplishments in various areas but also for the fact that he projects the very best in the education sector. He said he was impressed with the questions Soludo asked at his inauguration on how the country was preparing for 400 million Nigerians in about 40 years and 800 million in 80 years.
The ES boss commended Soludo for underscoring the need to prepare for such situations.
“We are rest assured that the rest of the country will see through you and appreciate the value in education and what it will deliver by way of opportunities.”
Echono also informed that for 11 years, 35000 academic staff have been trained for Master and Ph.D programmes. For Soludo, partnership with TETFund is strategic and will birth remarkable and landmark achievements in the three state-owned institutions in the State.
“I will like us to work together in a whole lot of areas we are interested in. We should be able to say that with partnership with TETFund, we were able to deliver ABC&D with great impact on tertiary education system in the state.”
He also commended TETFund for its various intervention projects across the country. According to him, the three state-owned tertiary institutions in Anambra State such as Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, University; Anambra Polytechnic, Mgbakwu and the College of Education, Nsugbe, are eager to welcome more of the Fund’s intervention projects.
“We have a big dream, a big agenda to partner with you and other critical stakeholders. The Federal Government is very critical player in this field. Education we know is on the concurrent list – the federal and state work together.
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