TETFund calls for adoption of technology in teaching and research.

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, is calling on tertiary institutions to urgently adopt technology in teaching, research, and administration. 

Echono made the call in Abuja on Monday at the opening of a two-day workshop on Blackboard/Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) Adoption and Usage in Beneficiary Institutions.

He warned that billions of naira invested in ICT infrastructure risk being wasted if not fully utilized, emphasizing that technology is crucial for expanding access to quality education, especially with Nigeria's rapidly growing population and limited classroom space.

Echono expressed concern that many universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have not fully embraced ICT despite TETFund's early investment in digital platforms like TERAS, stressing that with just an Android phone or device, students can access content, participate in learning, and acquire skills, just as he lamented that Nigeria ranks 189th globally and 25th in Africa in education competitiveness, trailing countries like Rwanda and Mauritius that have transformed their education systems through ICT.

He urged institutional leaders to ensure lecturers and students actively adopt the TERAS platform and populate their websites with relevant data, stating that over time, more than half of TETFund's education investments would go into ICT rather than physical infrastructure. 

The workshop aims to deepen understanding of TETFund's digital platforms and improve collaboration among beneficiary institutions, with the goal of strengthening the use of TETFund-funded platforms that aggregate data for planning and enhance teaching, research, and learning outcomes.

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