By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc Sonny Echono has said the issues of sharing formula for the normal intervention to tertiary institutions is entrenched in the law establishing the Fund and it required amendment for any change to take place.
Echono disclosed this while responding to the request of the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria, COHEADS, to reconsider the sharing formula in favour of polytechnics during their courtesy visit in Abuja
The Executive Secretary, who noted that the activities of polytechnics globally now trend towards skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship however, assured the association that TETFund support some forms of intervention that would enhance the capacity of the Nigeria Polytechnics.
“Concerning your request, there are things we can do and there are things that is beyond us. For example, the issue of sharing formula is entrenched in the law establishing Fund and required amendment of law to effect any change. But, however, in terms of special interventions, we do have some elements of input that the Board of Trustee can exercise and those areas we will support you,” he said.
He commended polytechnics for being in the frontline of providing manpower for development of the national economy, charging COHEADS members to use the tremendous responsibility to ensure graduates are employable and are able to identify and fill skill gaps in the economy.
To achieve this, Echono submitted that it required providing enabling environment in terms of facilities, right faculty and also to embrace continuous professional programme that would enhance quality of education..
Speaking earlier, Chairman of COHEADS, Engr.(Dr) Mrs. Akinkurolere Olanike, felicitated with the TETFund boss on his well deserved appointment and tremendous improvement in the Fund’ s work and access to it quick responses.
Dr. Olanike, acknowledged the role of the Fund in national development, affirmed that TETFund is leading in human and capital development.
She also acquainted the TETFund boss on the activities of the COHEADS which included, to provide a forum for Chief Executives of Polytechnics/ Colleges of Technology to exchange experiences, views and ideas on issues of common interest and in particular, to act as a catalyst for the growth and development of sound technical and vocational education in Nigeria.
Others, according to her is to make collective representations and responses to national and international issues involving all aspects of technical and vocational education in Nigeria, among others.
She informed the Executive Secretary that National Skills Framework (NSQF) has been added to Polytechnics’ mandate, stressing the need for TETFund to assist in the development of skills acquisition centres in the polytechnics through special interventions.
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