Representing President Buhari at the inauguration ceremony, the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Goodluck Nanah Opiah, highlighted the significant contributions of the recent upward review of the Education Tax from 2 to 2.5 percent. He acknowledged that TETFund has played a crucial role in supporting various tertiary institutions and their remarkable achievements.
Opiah praised the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, and his team for their dedication in fulfilling the mandate of the Fund to enhance public tertiary education in Nigeria. He emphasized the critical role of education in the socio-economic development of nations and how these newly commissioned projects at the Polytechnic would improve academic standards, teaching, and learning.
President Buhari's administration remains committed to prioritizing education as an integral part of its agenda. The Federal Government will continue to provide necessary support to ensure that educational institutions in Nigeria are globally competitive and contribute to the country's economic and technological development.
TETFund has made exceptional contributions to public tertiary educational institutions across the country. Through the support of the Federal Government, TETFund has provided physical infrastructure, supported academic staff training and development, facilitated book publication, promoted ICT, and encouraged research and development activities.
The Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, along with other public tertiary educational institutions in Anambra State, including Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra Polytechnic, Nwafor Orizu College of Education, and Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, have all benefited from the intervention efforts of TETFund.
Furthermore, TETFund has sponsored 101 lecturers from the Polytechnic for Ph.D. degrees both locally and abroad, amounting to N487,527,656.10. Additionally, 60 lecturers have received funding for Master's degrees, totaling N293,102,460.00, and 90 staff members have been supported to attend conferences, with a total funding of N111,471,159.50.
The Rector of Federal Oko Polytechnic, Engr. Dr. Francisca Nwafulugo, expressed gratitude to President Buhari for his unwavering support in advancing the education sector, particularly through TETFund. She also acknowledged the significant support provided by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to the institution.
Dr. Nwafulugo proudly shared that the institution has achieved nearly 100% accreditation compliance and has successfully introduced new programs, such as chemical engineering and viticulture, which have received approval from the NBTE.
The inauguration of these TETFund projects at Federal Oko Polytechnic marks another milestone in the development of the institution, contributing to its continued growth and progress in providing quality education to students.
The President's commitment to enhancing the education sector and TETFund's significant contributions continue to shape Nigeria's educational landscape, fostering a conducive environment for learning and academic excellence.