GOVERNOR of Ondo State and Visitor to Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and the vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, have commended the enormous contributions of the nations Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, to the growth of the state-owned university.
The duo made the commendations on Thursday last week during the 2018 University Distinguished Lecture of AAUA, entitled: “Paradigm Shift in Infrastructure Development in Nigerian Universities: the TETFund Approach,” which was delivered by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Dr Abdullahi Bichi Baffa.
The Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Honourable Agboola Ajayi, said without the interventions of TETFund, higher institutions in Nigeria would have totally collapsed.
He pleaded with the TETFund representatives to continue to complement the efforts of the Ondo State Government to improve the infrastructure status of AAUA.
Professor Ajibefun, in his welcome address, thanked TETFund for its remarkable impact on the university.
The VC said, “TETFund is our dependable ally in our resolve to deliver academic excellence. In the area of infrastructural development, TETFund has executed several projects at AAUA, of which nearly all the projects have been completed. Well over 400 members of staff have benefitted from postgraduate training and conference attendance sponsorship while a good number of active researchers have received research grants from TETFund.”
Professor Ajibefun appreciated the Guest Lecturer, Dr Baffa, for accepting to deliver the lecture, saying, “words are inadequate to appreciate this distinguished Nigerian and astute administrator for laying solid bricks on the enduring foundation built by his predecessors in office.”
Interrogating the title of the lecture, Dr Baffa stressed the need for Nigerian universities to uphold best global practices in their dealings.
Dr Baffa, who noted that TETFund had expended N652,913,687,145.64 on the nations tertiary institutions between 2006 and 2016, said, International Best Practices were procedures and processes that had been tested and proven to reduce costs, improve efficiency and institutional effectiveness, improve quality and accuracy.
According to him, it also included; improving environmental conditions, and generally enhancing the delivery of frontline services and the attainment of institutional goals and objectives.
Best Practices also included the provision of Physical Facilities for teaching and learning hinge on the new paradigms of small group teaching and interactive pedagogy, while it covered quantity of the facility, quality of the facility, utility value of the facility, distribution and ratios, maintenance and replacement policy.
The TETFund boss promised to continue to support AAUA in tandem with the rules and regulations guiding the operations of the agency.