Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has charged stakeholders on the sustainability of public tertiary institutions in the country.
Sanwo-Olu gave the charge at the 3rd Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Taxpayers’ forum held on Thursday in Lagos.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, explained that the forum was designed to showcase the achievements of TETFund.
He added that the forum was also to acknowledge the contributions of outstanding organisations to TETFund’s success.
Sanwo-Olu, however, urged stakeholders to show commitment to developing implementable strategies and initiatives that would significantly enhance the level of funding on a sustainable basis for public tertiary institutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that TETFund honoured some individuals and companies who have contributed to the success of funds intervention.
They included Mallam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education; Alhaji Muhammad Nami, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Nigeria LNG Lagos; MTN Communication Ltd; Nestle Nigeria Ltd and others.
The governor said the idea of the forum was highly commendable as it demonstrated the commitment of the leadership and management of TETFund to accountability and transparency.
According to him, these are essential to securing and sustaining the trust of the taxpayers and other stakeholders in the education sector.
He noted that adequate funding for infrastructural development and research would have positive impact on the quality of research in public tertiary institutions.
The governor added that it would also reduce the incessant industrial conflict and disruption of the academic calendar in the nation’s institutions.
He also noted that the emergence of TETFund in the nation’s education space as an interventionist agency was a welcome development.
“TETFund has continued to impact on the capacity of beneficiary institutions.
“These are in the areas of provision and maintenance of strategic physical infrastructure for teaching and learning; instructional materials and equipment; research and publication; academic staff training and development, among others
“All these will help to raise the bar in quality and standard of education at the tertiary level,” he said
The governor added that the effort of TETFund was an eye-opener to the height public tertiary institutions could attain with improved funding. (NAN)
