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Impressed with its performances, the President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr. Smart Olugbeko, has commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) led by Arc. Sonny Echono.
Dr. Olugbeko made the remarks while addressing a group of Nigerian students from Colleges of Education who paid a courtesy visit to the COEASU leadership in Abuja.
The students, who represented various institutions across the country, had come to thank the leadership of the Union for its giant roles towards Federal government's approval of the Dual Mandate for Colleges of Education, which grants Colleges of Education degree-awarding status.
The students' spokesperson, Comrade Ahmed Akande, commended the COEASU leadership for its efforts in ensuring the realisation of the Dual Mandate in Colleges of Education.
However, he also charged the leadership of the Union to ensure that the Federal government pays students on teaching practice monthly stipends, just like their counterparts in Engineering and Medicine who receive stipends during industrial attachment or housemanship.
On the degree awarding status for Colleges of Education, Dr. Olugbeko, in a statement by Dr. Ahmed Lawan Bazza, General Secretary, asked the students to appreciate the President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for signing into law the bill that grants degree awarding status to Colleges of Education and for the president's positive disposition towards payment of teaching practice stipend to students and lecturers.
Dr. Olugbeko revealed that the implementation is being worked out by the Federal Government while TETFund has been identified as a critical stakeholder in the implementation.
"The involvement of TETFund in the implementation process of the Teaching Practice stipend is a guarantee of its successful execution,"
Dr. Olugbeko said. "TETFund under the leadership of Arc. Sonny Echono has transformed into a beacon of excellence in public service, and the major source of running public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
"We are proud to associate with the Fund. We have every confidence that TETFund will bring its characteristic efficiency and transparency to the process of the implementation of the disbursement of the stipends when the time comes."
According to Dr. Olugbeko, "TETFund handles huge sum of money every year and has been very transparent in the disbursement of the funds to tertiary institutions. It is one organisation that is not afraid of inviting the academic staff unions: COEASU, ASUU and ASUP to be involved in the monitoring of its activities when many organisations become hypertensive whenever they see the unions.
"The unions have been able to provide critical feedback to the TETFund which has reflected in the efficiency of its operations. Thus, TETFund has transformed into one of the best-run government institutions in Nigeria, demonstrating remarkable focus, transparency, and proactiveness. The Fund's commitment to supporting tertiary education in Nigeria is laudable, and its impact is being felt across the country, and it is in the recognition of this that the Federal government considered TETFund as a critical stakeholder in its implementation".
The President of COEASU also commended the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for his transformative activities in the Ministry.
"Since his assumption of office, the Minister has been working tirelessly to ensure Nigeria's education sector is well-positioned for greatness."
Dr. Olugbeko specifically praised the Minister for his support towards the implementation of the Dual Mandate in Colleges of Education, which has been a game-changer for teacher education in Nigeria.
The COEASU President thanked the students for their visit and reaffirmed the Union's commitment to supporting their welfare and interests.
He assured them that COEASU would continue to work tirelessly to ensure that their concerns are addressed and their needs are met.
"We are committed to supporting the development of tertiary education in Nigeria, and we will continue to work with all stakeholders to achieve this goal," Dr. Olugbeko said.
Dr. Olugbeko charged the students to shun evil acts and remain good ambassadors of their institutions. "As teachers in training, you must demonstrate the good qualities of teachers in all your endeavours," he reminded them.