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…Demand increased funds to develop industry based curriculum
From Isaac Job, Uyo
Beneficiaries institutions of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) in South- South geo political zone have urged the intervention agency to increase funding to develop curriculums that will embrace academia- industry skills to enhance technological developments in Nigeria.
Speaking during 2026 Tetfund Board of Trustees Town Hall Meeting for South/ South geo political zone held in Uyo Akwa Ibom state capital, the stakeholders insisted that collaboration with industry operators to streamline industry/academic based curriculum will help to package graduates to meet up with industry demands in their various fields of study.
According to them, such collaboration will also check unemployment and assist tertiary institutions to produce employable graduates with skills required by industry operators.
The stakeholders comprising of Vice Chancellors of Universities , Rectors of Polytechnics and administrators of tertiary institutions in the south south region urged Tetfund to train Junior Lecturers abroad to drive the proposed industry-based curriculum adding that there should be a deviation in the past curriculum which was concentrating on academic class work without inputs from industry experiences .
They frowned at the present funds released by Tetfund to develop curriculum studies as such funds were not enough to handle academia- industry based curriculum that will impact on graduates , institutions and Nigeria technological developments.
In a paper presentation titled ” From Funding to Impacts: Research, Innovation Digital Transformation and Human Capital Development” the Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt Prof Isaac Opipi
appreciated Tetfund’s massive infrastructure interventions and upgrades in tertiary institutions across the country, but noted that human capital development is more sustainable than infrastructure.
Opipi who was represented by Blessing Jaja, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration of Uniport suggested special training for students to understand the ethical attitude of Artificial intelligence, AI and how to mark scripts with AI.
He called for special training of lecturers on specific areas of need, increased salaries and attractive working environment to discourage Nigerian lecturers from migrating for foreign jobs.”Again well-equipped laboratories, quick access to research grants will not only boost the educational sector, but improve the quality of education in the country.
“I call for a formidable mechanism to monitor and assess the impacts and feedback of TETFUND’s intervention”
Earlier, the former member of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and South South representative on TETFUND Board of Trustee Hon Abo Uduyok in his opening address appreciated the beneficiary institutions for the massive turn up and listed visible projects facilitated by the Tetfund across tertiary institutions in the country and the South South zone .
He appealed for support and encouragements from beneficiaries to enable them interprete President Tinubu’s transformational dream for Nigeria’s education sector, as captured in his renewed agenda.
He said the Town Hall meeting was aimed at strengthening accountability, deepening engagements and building stronger bond between TETFUND and beneficiary institutions.
In another paper presentation titled ”University/Industry Collaboration as Catalyst for National Development” ,Tonbarapagha Kingdom, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, suggested an overhaul of tertiary educational curriculum to capture industrial skills as a way forward for the country’s perpetual problem of unemployment .
He attributed Nigeria’s economic challenges and alarming unemployment to insufficient skills content in tertiary education curricula.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education Prof Ubong Essien in his keynote address called for a conscious and intentional curriculum design to include morality and patriotism to nourish and shape Nigeria’s education system and social character.
Essien stated that the interventions by Tetfund in tertiary education was unprecedented in the history of educational development in Nigeria.
“Let me appreciate President Bola Tinubu in his renewed hope agenda for education sector in Nigeria .
“I urge the stakeholders to utilize every facility provided by Tetfund to ensure expected results and impacts “
