By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the increase in the TETFund research grants to universities and other tertiary institutions from N5 billion in 2019 to N7.5 billion for 2020 and N8.5 billion for 2021.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu at the Institute of Education 1st National Conference on Research, Training and Development which was declared open with the theme, “Research, Training and Development in Nigerian Educational System in the 21st Century: Challenges and Way Forward” at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Assembly Hall, Samaru, Zaria.
Malam Adamu, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman E. Bogoro, also said that the university had earned it’s rightful place in the ivory tower by churning out graduates that compete favourably with other best brains anywhere in the world.
The minister recalled with nostalgia some of the vibrant intellectual activities organised by students that attracted many to ABU, citing, as example, with the popular Moot Court at the Faculty of Law and the Mock Summit at the Department of Political Science and International Studies.
Sadly, the minister further said, those epoch-making events by students were no longer heard of in recent years.
Malam Adamu, however, expressed happiness that such vibrant campus academic activities have began to pick up in ABU with the coming of Prof. Kabiru Bala as the Institution’s Vice-Chancellor.
He stressed the importance of research in any academic community the world over, saying that the number of academic publications were not enough, as what matters most is the amount of research grants attracted to the university as a professor or senior academic.
Malam Adamu Adamu rejoiced with Ahmadu Bello University for winning a total of 12 research grants in 2020 from TETFund as against the five it won in 2019.
“I am really happy that things are gradually changing in Ahmadu Bello University.
“As one of the first generation universities in Nigeria, ABU should not take the rear seat in the area of research and other academic activities”, he said.
The minister expressed gratitude to President Muhammad Buhari for doing a lot in the area of education, saying that the Federal Government has now decided to raise by 50 per cent, the budgetary allocation to the education sector in next year’s budget in order to address the shortfall in funding the all-important sector.
The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman E. Bogoro, had later presented a lead paper at the conference which attracted a number of academics from different universities and other tertiary institutions across the country.
Bogoro’s paper, “Research, Training and Development in Nigerian Tertiary Level of Education: Challenges and the Way Forward”, discussed and demonstrated how all other key elements of the topic were concentric to the critical factor of research and development.
He also harped on the centrality of research & development and innovation to everything TETFund has embarked upon under his stewardship.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, stressed the importance of research in national development, hence the decision by the Institute of Education to begin the annual national conference on research, training and development.
Prof. Kabiru Bala, had earlier he TETFund Executive Secretary, Prof. Suleiman E. Bogoro, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
Prof. Bala was assisted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Ahmed D. Ibrahim and Director, Institute of Education, Prof. Bashir Maina, in receiving the TETFund Executive Secretary.
