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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has advocated for increased deployment of technology in socioeconomic and education sectors of Nigeria, describing it as key to solving the developmental challenges of Nigeria.
The Fund, thus highlighted the role of tertiary institutions, particularly the polytechnics in developing strong and secured platforms for digital interactions.
TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, who addressed 18 polytechnics lecturers who participated in training programme on Research for Impact (R4i) initiative, in Abuja, on Friday, congratulated the participants for being among the few privileged ones that participated in the highly educating workshop.
He appreciated and reminded them that the world was increasingly being digitized with many activities being infused in digital devices, insisting that Nigeria and Its institutions cannot afford to be left behind in the global digital revolution.
He said the training programme which was organized in collaboration with Innov8 Hub, was aimed at promoting innovation and viable research in higher institutions, stressing that technological development holds the massive key to overcoming some challenges bedeviling the country.
He said: “The world has, undoubtedly, witnessed tremendous transformation with technology at the center stage, transforming lives, creating jobs and impacting nations. Most great nations that have developed attained such heights through education, technological evolution.
“This thirst for better ways of doing things has resulted in innovations which brought about the development of new technologies, new products, transformations in the telecommunication industry and new ways of existence.
“The emergence of the digital age has presented the world with no alternative but to adapt to the emerging realities. Consequently, Nations and citizens are compelled to either develop, or remain as second-class nations that would continuously depend on and serve other nations that have advanced through learning and impactful research.”
While appreciating Innov8 Hub for the partnership to advance an innovation ecosystem in Nigerian tertiary education sphere, Echono pledged the commitment of the Agency to continue to invest in research as the foundation for Nigeria’s emergence as a knowledge-based economy.
“At TETFund, we established a research and development/centres of rxcellence department to drive the institutionalization of research and development in public tertiary institutions, enhance research capacity, support research-industry, among others. The research for impact workshop was one of the programmes aimed at supporting market driven research for national development.
“It’s important to restate TETFund’s commitment to promote the commercialization of viable research and development results,” he added.
Echono expressed hope that the two weeks of intense research activities undergone by the 18 lecturers will stimulate knowledge sharing, collaboration, growth and excellence among participants and their various colleagues.
The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, charged the participants to work as team and also share knowledge gained with other lecturers in their various institutions.
He commended TETFund for the initiative,
describing it as the most important thing that has ever happened in Nigerian polytechnics in terms of research and innovation promotion.
Chief Facilitator, Research for Impact Workshop, Innov8 Hub, Dr. Obichi Obiajunwa, confirmed that the 18 lecturers undergone an intensive two-week programme, and they were equipped with tools to commercialize their research works.
He said the essence of the workshop was to empower the selected researchers to translate their invaluable work into societal value.
