From News Editor
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced an allocation of N1 billion for the construction of student hostels across 12 educational institutions in Nigeria as part of its 2024 intervention cycle.
This disclosure was made by Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, during a one-day workshop entitled ‘Emerging Areas of Students Needs in Beneficiary Institutions’ held in Abuja.
The allocation
According to Echono, the beneficiary institutions—comprising six universities, three polytechnics, and three colleges of education—are spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The funding, he explained, will serve as an equity contribution in partnerships with private developers for the construction of the hostels.
Highlighting a key development, Echono shared, “I am pleased to inform you that the Africa Plus Partners, in partnership with Akwa Ibom State University, will launch the construction of a 1,600 capacity students’ hostel through the support of TETFund on May 15.”
The Executive Secretary acknowledged the persistent issues of student accommodation, which include overcrowding in existing dormitories and many students having to live off-campus.
“The existing hostels are not only grossly inadequate but most of them are in deplorable conditions especially with regard to functional utility and sanitation,” he stated, emphasizing the impact on student performance and wellbeing.
Echono also highlighted the long-standing government efforts to build student hostels nationwide and the necessity of involving the private sector through Public Private Partnership (PPP) models to address these challenges effectively.
In addition to housing, the Fund is focusing on enhancing the teaching profession and the effectiveness of teaching practice interventions for educators and student teachers.
“Teaching practice provides experiences to supervisors and student teachers in-real time in the teaching environment and is crucial for honing their pedagogical skills,” Echono explained, emphasising its importance in developing potential teaching professionals.
Concluding his remarks, Echono noted a recent directive from the Federal Ministry of Education, which included recommendations from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission on teaching practice allowances.
He stressed the need for a revision of the current funding template for teaching practice to align with these new guidelines, signaling ongoing improvements in the sector’s funding strategy. {Nairametrics}
