TETFund spends N23.8b on tertiary institutions’ e-libraries

IN pursuit of excellence in the education sector, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says it has committed the sum of N23.842 billion into the acquisition of e-libraries in all public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, while declaring open Monday a two-day capacity building workshop on the acquisition and management of e-library for librarians in the public institutions in Bauchi State, disclosed that the amount was released to the benefiting institutions between 2001 and 2013.

He noted that there was an increase in last year’s allocation of an average of 71 percent, adding: “Library development has been part of the Fund’s academic-based intervention programmes since the amendment of the TETFund Act in 2011.”

Represented by the TETFund Director of Project Management, Mushpla Gotala, Bogoro said the increased allocation was made possible by the increase in education tax collected in 2013, even as thanked the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for the success recorded.

In view of this, he implored stakeholders in the education sector “to continue collaboration with the Fund to ensure the development of the required high quality manpower to drive the Nigerian economy towards the attainment of Vision 20:20:20.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of TETFund Board of Trustees, Dr. Musa Babayo, said the agency, between 2008 and 2014, allocated N15.03 billion to tertiary institutions for the acquisition of e-resources, and that the allocation was meant to promote and sustain strong learning institutions and build libraries that could support research and teaching.

Babayo, who was represented by the agency’s Deputy Director of Finance, Umar Kambari, said the body recognized the importance of libraries and librarians in enhancing teaching and research in tertiary institutions, which was why the fund decided to match its intervention with capacity building programmes for optimal benefits and maximum impact for the educational sector.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Prof. Saminu Abdulrahman Ibrahim, has stated the readiness of the institution to continue to collaborate with the agency, as such collaboration in the past has resulted in physical infrastructure development and smooth transition to e-library in the institution. Ibrahim, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ishiaka Mohammed, noted that library development, especially e-library, is key to the development of the institution. He urged librarians to take advantage of the workshop to enhance their skills as professionals

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