CPA passes vote of confidence on TETFund management over education interventions

The Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) has passed a vote of confidence on the management of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), commending the agency for the significant contributions to the growth and development of tertiary education in the country. Speaking during a press conference jointly addressed on Thursday in Abuja, the Executive Director of […]

The Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) has passed a vote of confidence on the management of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), commending the agency for the significant contributions to the growth and development of tertiary education in the country.

Speaking during a press conference jointly addressed on Thursday in Abuja, the Executive Director of CPA, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, alongside the organisation’s Director of Research and Development, Ganzallo Gbenga, said the organisation’s independent investigation into the activities of TETFund revealed substantial progress in infrastructural development, academic support, research funding, and institutional capacity building across public tertiary institutions nationwide.

Lawson explained that the assessment followed months of monitoring and investigative activities carried out by the organisation across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

“Our findings indicate that TETFund has continued to play a strategic and indispensable role in the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria,” he stated.

He disclosed that the CPA deployed independent monitors, researchers, procurement observers, and policy analysts to evaluate the implementation of TETFund projects and the level of transparency in the administration of intervention funds.

The civil society organisation stated that available records showed that TETFund disbursed over ₦1.8 trillion to public tertiary institutions between 2011 and 2024.

“Universities received over ₦918 billion, polytechnics received more than ₦461 billion, while colleges of education got over ₦458 billion within the period under review,” Lawson said.

The organisation further noted that more than 152,000 infrastructural projects had been executed through TETFund interventions across the country, including lecture theatres, laboratories, ICT centres, hostels, libraries, entrepreneurship centres, and research facilities.

CPA also commended the agency for its interventions in academic staff training and development, saying thousands of lecturers had benefitted from sponsorships for postgraduate studies, conferences, workshops, and professional development programmes both locally and internationally.

The group added that TETFund had made noticeable improvements in digital transformation, research support, innovation funding, and library development in tertiary institutions.

Lawson said the organisation was particularly impressed that the Fund continued to sustain intervention projects despite prevailing economic challenges, rising inflation, and exchange rate instability.

He stated, “After a careful and evidence-based assessment of the operations of TETFund under the current leadership, the Centre for Public Accountability is convinced that the present management has demonstrated commitment toward the implementation of the Fund’s statutory mandate.”

Consequently, the organisation passed a vote of confidence on the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, and the Chairman of the Board, Aminu Bello Masari, for sustaining intervention programmes aimed at strengthening higher education in Nigeria.

The CPA, however, urged the agency to strengthen its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure timely execution of projects and greater accountability in the utilisation of intervention funds.

The organisation also called on beneficiary institutions to avoid project abandonment and ensure prudent management of public resources.

It noted that it would continue to monitor public institutions to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.

The group added that stakeholders in the education sector, including government agencies, civil society groups, development partners, students, and the media, must collaborate to improve the standard of tertiary education in Nigeria.

“Education remains one of the most important foundations for national development, economic growth, innovation, social stability, and global competitiveness,” he said.