The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) threatened to delist recipient institutions on Wednesday if they did not appropriately use cash allotted for intervention programs.
At a two-day strategic workshop for directors of academic planning, physical planning, and information and communication technology (ICT) from institutions receiving funding from the TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of the Fund, issued the warning in Abuja.
According to Echono, the workshop demonstrates the Fund’s dedication to strengthening the nation’s postsecondary education system by filling in voids in its policies and procedures, especially by improving comprehension of its intervention guidelines.
He emphasized that the TET Fund would not passively watch as some institutions fail to meet their standards.
“Let me restate that institutions that do not access, use, or retire funds in compliance with Fund guidelines, or that do not meet important academic or operational benchmarks, may be delisted as TETFund beneficiaries.”
“This policy is a mechanism to ensure the integrity and efficacy of our interventions, not a punitive one,” he stated.
Echono clarified that the main goal of the meeting was to increase the ability of key persons in charge of organizing, carrying out, and overseeing projects funded by the TET Fund.
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For increased effectiveness, accountability, and developmental impact, we want to make sure that each institution represented here is prepared to better align with the Fund’s operational procedures.
This interaction is a strategic convergence intended to address persistent implementation bottlenecks, increase compliance, and boost institutional performance. It goes beyond a simple meeting.
“It is our joint duty to make sure that the benefits of TETFund interventions are not only maintained but also increased through prompt and prudent use of resources,” he continued.
In addition, Echono outlined the strategic priorities that will influence the Fund’s course in 2025 and beyond.
According to him, the TETFund has previously terminated its international training component of the Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) with effect from January 1, 2025.
First, as you are all know, the Fund has halted the overseas training component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) with effect from January 1, 2025, with reference to the Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) intervention.
The growing expenses of training abroad and instances of student absconding made this decision necessary, notwithstanding its difficulty. But we are nevertheless steadfast in our resolve to increase academic capability locally. According to Echono, “We will keep supporting professional development initiatives and demanding local postgraduate programs that provide value at sustainable costs.”
He also mentioned an increase in funding for a number of initiatives, reinforcing the Fund’s emphasis on research and innovation.
Second, our mandate still places a strong emphasis on innovation and research. We have increased funds for the Triple Helix Model for research-industry partnership, the National Research Fund (NRF), and the Research and Innovation Fund for 2025.
Echono said, “These initiatives are expected to foster commercialization and cross-institutional partnerships while generating practical solutions to national problems, particularly in technology, agriculture, and healthcare.”
Among other things, the workshop included presentations of papers and Q&A sessions. It was also held throughout the nation’s six geopolitical zones.
