TETFund tasks COEs on high academic standard

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa, has urged Colleges of Education (CoEs) in Nigeria to work towards attaining high academic standard rather than clamouring to be changed into a university.

Dr. Baffa stated this while receiving Fellowship award from Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo State and commissioning of four completed TETFund projects.

He said while some COEs can measure up to some universities, becoming a degree or higher degree awarding institutions goes beyond policy announcement.

Dr. Baffa advised CoEs as well as polytechnics in the country desirous of upgrading to degree awarding institutions to be ready to work hard and earn the licence and charter for such.

While noting that TETFund has sponsored over 150 lecturers of Adeyemi College of Education for their Doctorate Degrees within and outside Nigeria, he said the college is shoulder to shoulder with many universities in Nigeria.

On the move by managers of the college to make it a University of Education, the TETFund boss noted that it a dream that may be achieved in the future when the right steps are taken.

Photo: Tetfund Provost Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo State, Prof. Olukoya Ogen (left), dresses the Executive Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa, during the executive secretary’s conferment as a Fellow of the institution in appreciation of Tetfund’s contributions to the college in Ondo at the weekend. With them is the institution’s Chairman Governing Council, Prof. Nathaniel Ohazurike