Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Federal Government has injected the sum of N4 billion into 12 faculties of engineering of six federal universities of technology and six conventional universities, thereby representing the nation’s six geo-political zones.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced this on Monday in Abuja at the inauguration of ministerial monitoring evaluation and implementation committee on TETFUND high impact intervention project for engineering and technology faculties in federal universities of technologies and conventional universities.
The minister said the high impact intervention project is a strategic initiative designed to upgrade laboratories, workshops and research facilities, as well as to position institutions as hubs of innovation and practical problem-solving centres.
Announcing the names of the universities, Alausa said the N4 billion is to rehabilitate existing engineering workshops in the faculties, build new facilities where non exists, or add new and upgraded equipment to already existing ones.
He said some universities that have not been captured in the engineering and technology project will be beneficiaries of the upgrading of their medical schools and to which N4 billion will also be allocated.
Revealing that more institutions will be beneficiaries of the intervention that will come in batches, the minister said the first traunch of the funds, when implemented, will close existing gaps that have existed thereby weakening employability status of many graduates.
According to him, “Engineering and technology education are fundamental to Nigeria’s aspirations for industrialization, innovation and sustainable economic growth. N4 billion will be given to each beneficiary institution to rehabilitate existing workshop or build a new one, or to add new equipment to already existing ones.
“No nation can achieve meaningful development without strong capacity in science, engineering and technology.”
Inaugurating the committee, which is chaired by the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ali Rabiu, the minister stated that even though funding alone does not guarantee results, the required impact will depend on effective implementation, strict adherence to standards, transparency and accountability.
He added that the committee’s mandate amongst others include: to monitor project execution, ensure compliance with approved specifications and timelines, evaluate outcomes, identify challenges, and provide objective reports that will guide policy decisions.
He urged vice-chancellors, faculty leadership, consultants and contractors to cooperate fully with the committee, while noting that monitoring and evaluation are not obstacles but essential mechanisms for achieving excellence and ensuring that the projects truly transform engineering and technology education in Nigeria.
“As we inaugurate this committee today, we reaffirm our commitment not just to funding education, but to ensuring measurable outcomes that equip our young population with the skills and technological competence required in a rapidly evolving global environment,” Alausa said.
Some of the benefitting institutions include Federal University of Technology, Minna; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Nigerian Army University, Biu; Federal University of Technology, Babura; and Federal University of Technology, Ikot- Abasi.
