In an effort to “enhance their training and research capabilities,” the Federal Government announced on Wednesday that it was looking into funding alternatives for the nation’s four inter-university centers.
The Federal Ministry of Education released a statement stating that Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, disclosed this at an interactive meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of the Centers.
“He will open a line of dialogue between the Ministry, the Centers and the Tertiary Education TrustFund with a view to bringing the inter-varsity centers within the funding envelope of TETFUND,” the minister was quoted as saying in the statement, which was signed by the ministry’s director of press, Ben Goong.
Speaking to the ministers, the chief executives of the centers bemoaned poor patronage, insufficient financing, and the legal restrictions that prevented their academic staff members from becoming professors as well as poor infrastructure
Additionally, the minister urged both public and private colleges nationwide to use the centers for their training initiatives.
The four inter-university centres are: The National Mathematical Centre, the Nigerian Institute for Nigerian Languages, the Nigerian French Language Village, and the Nigerian Arabic Language Centre.
Also, Dr. Yusuf Tanko, the Minister of State for Education, stated that research and training are essential to the development of the country and pledged to work with his colleagues in the National Assembly to advocate for increased financing for the country’s interuniversity institutes.
Ugochi Olivia Ubah is an Educator and a Writer
