TETFund boss tasks varsities, others on problem-solving research

TETFund Boss, Bogoro

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman Bogoro, has tasked universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria on the conduct of problem-solving research, noting the nation’s economic and security challenges could be overcome through the full embrace of Research and Development (R&D).

He made the call in Abuja while receiving the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria’s (ECAN) Award of Excellence for his promotion and passion for Research and Development (R&D) and other massive achievements so far recorded as TETFund boss.

Recall that when Bogoro was reinstated in 2019, he emphasised content development and transformed the National Research Fund (NRF) into an annual intervention and enlarged the funding envelope to N5 billion from the initial N3 billion.

Also, the research fund was in 2020 increased to N7.5bn as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari based on the recommendation of the Board of Trustees of TETFund. For 2021, the fund was increased to N8.5bn.

Bogoro said: “One of the best ways to enhance our competitiveness is through prioritisation of knowledge, and if there is an element of knowledge that gets to the nerve centre of the knowledge enterprise, it is research.

“For me to promote the institutionalisation of R&D as a defining parameter for deepening research is not just undertaking research for promotion.

“In Nigeria, people just jokingly referred to universities as intellectual enclaves with no relevance of the application of knowledge to solve problems of nation or even the local community. I hate to hear that.

“It is for that reason, I said we must proceed to do problem-solving research and it is only through R&D, not just research but research for development.

“A preacher said recently that Africa is sitting on the largest mineral deposits in the world yet Africa is the headquarters of poverty, there is something wrong. That is why I thought of undertaking research for value addition that is problem-solving,” Bogoro said.

On why he was nicknamed Senior Advocate of Research, the TETFund boss said: “You made reference to the appellation granted to me recently as Senior Advocate of Research. It is becoming increasingly popular by the day even at the convocation ceremony of ABUAD (Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti) where the first research centre of the university was named after me by the founder, Afe Babalola, it was mentioned copiously and indeed publicly about the reference (passion for the institutionalisation of R&D), actually, it is that particular reason he named the first research centre in that university after me.”

He commended ECAN for being a worthy partner in drumming support for the educational development of the country.

“You have been a very good partner to TETFund, you have kept faith even when we might not have met all your expectations but have also availed us the wisdom of advice on areas that we could improve on,” Bogoro said.

He expressed appreciation to ECAN for finding him worthy of the award even as he dedicated it to all TETFund’s staff for their support.

Earlier, the chairman of ECAN, Chuks Ukwuatu, said the Award of Excellence was initiated by the association 15 years ago to single out chief executives in the education sector that have performed greatly.

Ukwuatu said TETFund under Bogoro has witnessed massive infrastructural development in tertiary institutions, academic training, paradigm shift that has brought about the institutionalisation of R&D, among others.

While saying the award is to encourage Bogoro to do more, the ECAN chairman said his association has thrown weight behind the calls for the renewal of the TETFund’s boss appointment in 2022, saying one good term deserves another.

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TETFund boss tasks varsities, others on problem-solving research