BY LAW IBITOYE
The Executive Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Arc. Sonny S.T Echono has said tertiary education is the cornerstone of national development with three core mandates: teaching, research and community service.
He added that, the pursuit of tertiary education in Nigeria is to enhance youth employability, sustainable development and global competitiveness among others.
Arch. Echono disclosed this at the 9th Convocation lecture of the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, held at the newly built 1000 seater auditorium with the topic : ‘UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY AND THE CHALLENGE OF QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA’
The guest speaker said ” Nigeria universities are saddled with the roles of knowledge generation and dissemination , research activities and dedicated services to the communities as well as international cooperation in line with global standards.” He opined that university education is to promote knowledge and development of advanced cognitive skills necessary for various sectors within society, enabling members to be productive and contribute to society’s overall well being.
The guest speaker enumerated several factors militating against quality university education to include: inadequate funding, inadequate ICT facilities, inadequate lecturers, poor policy implementation, poor leadership, insecurity, incessant strike action, brain drain among others. He however stressed that interventions of TETFUND have in no small measure rescued Nigeria Universities in putting in place befitting lecture rooms, laboratories, workshops and research grants.
Speaking on the autonomy of Nigeria Education, Arch Echono pointed out that ” University autonomy should never be construed to absolve the government of its responsibility to fund Universities, nor does it connote abdication or privatization of the Universities. The desirability of university autonomy finds expression in : academic, administrative and financial autonomies.”
The Guest speaker posited that less political and bureaucratic control on higher education systems would allow the university to be creative and contribute to Education teaching, research and community service. Adding that, university autonomy would enhance infrastructure networks using collaboration with industries, alumni and other research institutions.
According to Arch Echono ” University autonomy provides opportunities for global collaboration between many universities to share ideas and experiences for effective teaching and learning processes, offer shared courses, dual degree programmes, cultural exchange programmes , research collaborations between countries and facilitate global competitiveness ”
In a separate interview with journalists, Senator Ayo Arise and the Chancellor of FUOYE, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba posited that the government alone cannot fund education. The duo said honouring personalities like former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Senator Kanu Agabi (SAN), former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Chief Christopher Adebayo Ojo(SAN), and the Managing Director, First Bank, Chief Segun Alebiosu and the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Ltd, Dr Allen Onyema will go along way to meet the basic needs of the university. They acknowledged the rapid growth in the university and hinged it on the visionary leadership of Prof Abayomi Fasina who has made the institution the fourth most sought after institution in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of The federal University of Oye Ekiti, Prof. Abayomi Fasina had congratulated the 8444 graduates, urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution wherever they found themselves.
Professor Abayomi reiterated the efforts of the staff and management of the institution to make it of an international standard conducive for learning.