The Chairman of Topfaith University, Mkpatak in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Abraham, has appealed to the federal government to consider private universities in grants from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
According to him, such inclusion would engender research in private universities and in turn contribute to Nigeria’s technological advancement. Abraham made this known while interacting with journalists.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday in his office at Mkpatak, Essien Udim in Akwa Ibom State, the Chairman noted that it was imperative for government to support private initiative in research if it’s truly interested in proper human resource development.
While observing government’s tendencies of sidelining private universities in TETFund grants, he regretted that such was not in the best interest of technological and national advancement of the nation.
His words, “In many parts of the world, universities are used as research centres in critical national infrastructure, assets, social, scientific issues or otherwise.
“If this happens, it could be possible for TETFund to pick some private universities depending on their specialty and fund any project so that they can contribute in specific areas to national development.”
“If government is interested in proper human resource development, it is also proper that government can choose to support private initiatives specifically with concrete assessment indices in such a way that government can include private universities in the budget of TETFund.
“Each private university that meets certain criteria to build laboratories. In marts of the world, universities are used as research centres in critical national infrastructure, asset and issues in both social and scientific areas and otherwise.
“For me, I will recommend that government should not shut out private universities when it comes to research funding and other support facilities from government agencies as TETFund.”
Abraham explained that he was not advocating for dependency of private university system on government funding but on national conscious angle where the nation will want to invest in knowledge as such investments should not be selective.
“TETFund and National University Commission (NUC) know the capacity of each each university. This can form the basis for these institutions to be selected for TETFund grants specifically on research.”
Abraham disclosed that Topfaith University is located in an area that has so much oil palm plantation and can be considered for research in such area, noting, “TETFund can say Topfaith University, since you are located in the area where palm oil production is the in-thing, we can give you a laboratory to research into oil palm production through your Biotechnology programme of your university.
“Presently, we are conducting huge research in oil palm production. We have palm seedlings multiplication centre as part of our entrepreneurship programme meant to expose our students to the process of palm oil production.
“We have enough oil palm trees here. We must take oil palm production to a level of science and technology as well as a level of digital education and technological knowledge. It has to pass through researches.”