Tertiary Education trust fund TETFUND, disclosed that fund is ready to build a relationship with the Pan Afrian University to push the African Union (AU) agenda and that of the University forward.
The Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Sonny Echono
stated this in Abuja while playing host to a team of the African Union Commission for Education led by Prof. Mohammed Belhocine.
The Executive Secretary said the Nigerian Government has also been working to promote technology, noting that the country is in the process of establishing a national institute in Abuja.
“I should also let you know that the government of Nigeria actually thinks in that direction of promoting technology and we are in the process of establishing a national institute here in Abuja.
“There will be a post graduate institution intended to promote the technological transformation of our country,” he said.
“The Pan African University also fits into this general framework and we believe the partnership will be there for us to be able to learn one or two things to attract values to the faculties. It will also be a huge opportunity for scholars to troop into the University.
“I like to assure you that within the framework that we have, we will give you the maximum support to make that building functional and be put to use quickly.”
Speaking on the request for construction of more classrooms and procurement of laboratory equipment for the Pan African University at the University of Ibadan, Echono gave assurance that the request would be attended to.
“I can assure you that as soon as we get the request, having done the most important thing of starting, we should be able to build on that and also forge the right partnership that will encourage or enable us to push the agenda of the African Union and indeed the institution forward.”
Creating Pan African Universities
Speaking earlier, Prof Mohammed Belhocine said the Pan African University needed some assistance from the TETfund in terms of more classrooms, laboratory equipment and other areas.
He commended the work TETFund has done for the Commission earlier in March, where the building housing the Pan African University at the University of Ibadan was commissioned saying, “that wouldn’t have been possible without your support.
“We are very grateful for that. We are sure that it will create better working conditions for our Pan African University. Nigeria has been one of the advocates for the creation of this University which is now 10 years in existence,” Prof. Belhocine said.
“There are four institutes in Africa which we are operating. One in West Africa in Ibadan, another in East Africa which is in Nairobi, the other one in North Africa which is in Algeria.
“We have one also which deals with governance and humanities, social science in Yaounde, Cameroon Central Africa.
“We are yet to launch the last one which is the space sciences in South Africa”.
Prof Belhocine disclosed that at a meeting with the Minister of Education, it was agreed that either the Ministry or the TETfund should write a letter to the University of Ibadan.
He explained that the Pan African University is very important, noting that it brings young Africans together.
“So far thanks to the foreign institutes that are already operating. We were able to join more than 1,500 masters in different areas of focus. And more 400 PhDs were trained. And these people come from 50 nationalities.
“The most important thing for us is not technical performance measurement, it is how we are bringing young Africans together. And when you keep them together for about three to five years, it means they happen to know each other better in cultures, languages and the beliefs of the African countries. And this will create the real idea of Pan Africanism. It will become part of them.”
Emmanuel Ukoh
