The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has said it would support the Kwara State Government in its effort to convert colleges of education in the state to universities of education.
Executive Secretary, TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while hosting the Governor of Kwara State and Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq.
He assured the Governor of TETFUND continuous partnership with institutions in order to achieve the Federal Government’s goals of creating a level playing ground for youth to contribute meaningfully to national growth and development.
Arc. Echono lauded the state for being a pacesetter in education in the Northern part of the country.
“We thank you for the very kind words you have expressed. We want to underline and give assurances of our continued support.
“Kwara has always led the North even from the colonial period in education. And that has reflected also in the number of institutions that you have.
“I know you have three colleges of education. I am glad you are trying to do some conversion to universities of education now. Since 2020, we had focused more on Ilorin. So Lafiagi has suffered a little bit because of the numbers. But if they get converted, that gives us the opportunity on two more effectively”, he said.
Earlier, Governor Abdulrasaq hailed the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for the infrastructure development of higher institutions in the state, stressing that it has enhanced growth and development of education in the state.
The Governor who led some serving members of the National Assembly on the visit, thanked the TETFUND management for various projects funded in the state tertiary institutions.
He noted that the intervention agency has contributed in no small measures to the state’s drive for economic reengineering, even as he called for more support.
He also called for assistance in the areas of security, water sanitation in the state’s institutions.
His words: “We will seek for more assistance. In Kwara now, we are trying to convert all our colleges of education to universities of education. So we need your assistance to do that.
“But with what you have done with us it is easy to convert them because the structures are there.
“This visit is to say you are doing a good job. And on behalf of the people and government of Kwara State, we say thank you for the job you have done. And we appreciate you”.
