The Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has intensified efforts to prevent industrial actions in public tertiary institutions by engaging regularly with staff unions, in a bid to foster stability and improve education delivery across Nigeria.
Arc. Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of TETFund, disclosed this during a series of meetings with representatives of academic and non-academic unions in Abuja. According to him, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to promote industrial harmony in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
“These engagements are proactive steps to sustain development in the tertiary education sub-sector,” Echono said, adding that dialogue offers a strategic solution to longstanding issues including inadequate funding, working conditions, and policy disagreements.
Frequent strikes by unions such as ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, NASU, SSANU, and NAAT have disrupted academic calendars, delaying student graduation and impacting the quality of education. Stakeholders have raised concerns about the long-term effects on national development, innovation, and human capital.
Echono emphasized the need for sustained investment in education, particularly in digital innovation and skills development, in line with global trends and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He reiterated TETFund’s mandate to rehabilitate and strengthen tertiary institutions through targeted funding and project management.
“The unions remain key stakeholders in repositioning our tertiary institutions,” he said. “Through consistent collaboration, we can reduce disputes and build an education system that meets global standards.”
TETFund continues to play a central role in addressing challenges in the education sector, and has called on all stakeholders to support reforms that will prevent further industrial actions.
