If not TETFUND, many varsities would’ve closed shop —Bogoro

The new Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro is an experienced educationist and administrator. He is a former Chairman of the Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri and member of the Governing Council, Bauchi State University, to mention a few of his previous portfolios. In this interview with some journalists in Bauchi, Bogoro speaks about his vision for TETFUND and how to revamp the ailing education sector, among other issues. EZEKIEL TITUS brings the excerpt:

What is your vision for TETFUND as a new helmsman?

Let me first of all use this medium to thank Mr. President for my appointment. It is a rare privilege to serve in this capacity. TETFUND was established to cater for financial needs of public tertiary institutions from colleges of education, polytechnics to universities owned by both the state and the federal governments.

So, I am happy that my appointment will allow me to contribute in my own little way to the development of tertiary education in the country. Perhaps my appointment could be fallout of a little achievement God enabled my administration to record when I was the Chairman of the Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri between 2005 and 2007. I could say I did my best to improve the polytechnic. I still remember with sense of pride that after serving for just 12 months in office, I was honoured with a traditional title of Ekweme of Abo-Mbise which means “a man of his words.” I cherish keeping to my words. So, back to your question, I am conscious of the fact that much is expected from my administration and this is basically on how to address the underfunding problem confronting the tertiary education. But TETFUND is expected to intervene, especially in the areas of infrastructural and research development as well as human capacity development. And I am conscious of all these and I have prepared to make an impact. I will like to bring my wealth of experience garnered both in the university and polytechnic systems to bear and contribute significantly to the country’s tertiary education and I am sure that God will give me the enablement so as to leave TETFUND better than the position I met it.

How would you justify the relevance of TETFUND intervention when virtually all the public tertiary institutions are characterised with poor infrastructures?

Every government times immemorial is faced with problem of finance. That means it is almost impossible for any government to have more than enough money to spend at any moment. So, those with such view are not fair in their opinion. The Federal Government is not only funding tertiary education through TETFUND, it also opens additional windows like the one it provided for with the Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) when the union down tool across the country last year. The government, as fallout of the development, promised to release fund for universities for the next five years with $220 billion yearly which is about N1.1 trillion. This is aside the initial $200 billion that was made available to them. So, I don’t know what else somebody expects the government to do.

Note that TETFUND intervention also covers stateowned tertiary institutions and if TETFUND money is not there for many of them, I can tell you that majority of them would have been liquidated. I mean they would have closed shop and that is the truth. I once challenged some contractors on this and I know responses I received. So, I think so far, it has been applauds rather than lamentations. TETFUND recently publicised its random interventions to schools because they are our main focus with signboard of TETFUND everywhere. What does that tell you? TETFUND is working to improve infrastructure and academic content of tertiary institutions including academic support services. Most of the lecture theatres including halls in our tertiary institutions are TETFUND funded. Look at what Mr. President did last year with the model hostel projects and TETFUND is looking at what to improve on intervention in education and is doing its best to source for funds. Recently, TETFUND held zonal meeting with stakeholders to sensitise them on the instrument and guidelines for accessing funds as a measure to suggest and to review our modus operandi in cognisance of their genuine observations or criticisms.

President Jonathan recently lamented that billions of Naira in TETFUND coffers lay idle, what do you think is responsible for the inability of institutions to access the money?

In TETFUND, we don’t have failed or abandoned projects. I am saying this without contradictions. This is because if contractors should breach agreement, it will lead to an infraction of the terms of contract. So, we hold you liable, TETFUND had forced some contractors to cough out funds collected for failed projects. So, our guidelines are very clear and strict in implementation. You can’t collect money from TETFUND to execute new projects when you have not completed the previous projects and issued certificate of satisfactory delivery.

Many are still not comfortable with the Federal Government establishing additional universities when the existing ones are struggling to survive. How would you react to this?

Inadequate funding in government is not limited to Nigeria. It is a global phenomenon. On the establishment of new universities, these were borne out of request and observations of stakeholders, including unions before establishing them. And I must emphasise the fact that government in the recent years has significantly increased funding of tertiary institutions through TETFUND as well as extra-budgetary funding to improve education. That is the wisdom in the establishment of 12 new universities by the Federal Government. It wants each state to have a federal university so as to increase access to university education.

What do you think is responsible for the falling standard of education in the country?

We have to agree that so many things have gone wrong in our society today. Things are really changing for the worst including the education sector and this is a worrisome situation. People just want to carry certificates and answer titles such as BSC, MSC and even PhD holders and not minding of cheating to get them. They believe that is the only way to be relevant in the society. The education sector cannot be an exception if we want to correct this.

So, it is the societal problem and it is even worse when talking about honorary doctorate degrees giving out to hick and harry all over the place. In some other parts of the world, when you are conferred with such titles, it is only for you as an honour to keep and not to attach it to your name. But here, reverse is the case. And honestly, this is contributing to the falling standard of education, especially among the youths. And until we get it right, this will continue to affect us. When people want to cheat to get certificates, how would the standards not fall? Some of us that are teachers are often confronted with this challenge every day. We see some of our students that are about to graduate with first or second degree writing nothing but thrash in exams.

What is the implication of this trend in future?

It is doom! Yes! And we have to do something fast to change the situation. It is not only the government that should involve in this, it is all of us. We should stop celebrating fraudsters and charlatans including the individuals that are being hononured with titles that they don’t deserve! This kind of things is destroying the system and it must stop.

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