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The National Association of Nigerian Students has launched a 90-day nationwide review of Tertiary Education Trust Fund projects following growing concerns over alleged project abandonment, poor execution and delayed delivery of interventions in tertiary institutions across the country.
The student body announced the constitution of an independent TETFund intervention project assessment, verification and monitoring committee to investigate the implementation and impact of projects funded by the intervention agency.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, said the decision was informed by persistent complaints about the quality and completion of some TETFund-funded projects in beneficiary institutions.
According to the association, while the Federal Government has continued to invest heavily in the education sector through TETFund interventions, concerns remain over whether the projects are being delivered as approved and whether students are deriving the intended benefits.
NANS said allegations of project abandonment, poor execution, substandard delivery, delayed completion and other irregularities involving some contractors had generated public concern and raised questions about the effectiveness of the interventions.
The association noted that the committee would embark on a nationwide tour of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to independently verify the status of TETFund projects and assess their impact on teaching, learning and student welfare.
“The committee shall evaluate the level of implementation, utilisation, quality of delivery and overall impact of these projects on students and host institutions,” the statement said.
It added that the exercise was also intended to support ongoing efforts to improve transparency and accountability in the management of public funds allocated to tertiary education.
The committee is expected to submit its findings and recommendations within 90 days.
NANS said the report would guide its engagement with relevant authorities and would be forwarded to the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders for necessary action.
The committee is chaired by Salahudeen A. Lukman, with Okereke Godson Bishop, Dominic Philip, Odiahi Thomas Ikhine, Wande T. Ajayi and Ibrahim A. Ibrahim serving as members, while Gambo Abubakar acts as secretary.
NANS urged tertiary institutions, TETFund officials, contractors and student leaders to cooperate with the committee to ensure a credible assessment process.
TETFund was established by the Federal Government to provide supplementary funding for public tertiary institutions through revenues generated from the education tax. The agency finances the construction of lecture theatres, laboratories, hostels and other infrastructure, as well as research grants, academic staff development and institutional capacity-building programmes.
Over the years, TETFund has become one of the major sources of capital funding for public tertiary institutions.
However, concerns about abandoned projects, cost overruns, delays and quality of execution have continued to attract criticism from education stakeholders, prompting calls for stronger oversight and monitoring of intervention projects.
Punch
