TETFund to tackle electricity crisis in varsities

• Says autonomy, key to effective performance

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has expressed concern over the energy crisis in Nigerian institutions following increase in electricity tariff and promised to intervene to tackle the challenge.

“We will ensure that our research centres are excellent in nature and that we won’t need to send research samples abroad again.

“We will continue efforts to improve the capacities of our institutions to become centres of excellence and thereby improve their global rankings and make our students globally competitive,” he said.

When asked whether the agency is not being overburdened by the continued establishment of higher institutions by the government, as it is mandatory for it to cater to such institutions, Echono said establishing new tertiary schools by government is in order because of the increasing number of applicants.

Echono noted that in a situation where over two million candidates seek admission to tertiary institutions yearly, and only 600,000 are admitted due to carrying capacity, there is a need for more higher institutions.

Meanwhile, the TETFund chief has declared that Nigerian universities must attain all levels of autonomy to ensure operational efficiency and effective performance.

He explained that the autonomy, when fully operational, would allow the institutions initiate ideas that would improve quality education and contribute to national development.

Echono, who stated this while delivering the ninth convocation lecture of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), said universities should enjoy financial, administrative and academic autonomy, to help in providing solutions to myriads of challenges confronting the nation, and also rank with other institutions across the world.

In the lecture titled: ‘University autonomy and the challenges of quality tertiary education in Nigeria,’ Echono said institutions should be allowed to determine their fees, and explore commercial opportunities to guarantee self-sufficiency in achieving desired quality education.

Echono said: “Autonomy enables universities enhance their infrastructure network using collaboration with industries, alumni, and other educational and research institutions. It also provides opportunities for global collaboration between many universities to share ideas and experiences, pedagogy used for effective teaching and learning processes, offer shared courses, dual degree and cultural exchange programmes, as well as research collaborations between different countries to facilitate global competitiveness.”

According to him, autonomy provides the institutions with the opportunity to innovate and substantially improve the overall quality of education for national development. He subsequently tasked stakeholders on the need to collaborate and ensure its total implementation beyond federal universities.

“Regrettably, the Act applies only to federal universities. Thus, stakeholders must assist in persuading the states to adopt these provisions in their enabling laws to ensure uniformity in the system,” he said.