I’ll continue to prioritise tertiary education – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed that his administration will continue to prioritise tertiary education with a focus on producing highly qualified graduates capable of competing globally.

The President reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting educational institutions to make them globally competitive for economic and technological advancement.

Edugist reports that the Tinubu spoke during the commissioning of projects worth over N873.666 million in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP), all in Bauchi State, under the 2021/2022 merged intervention programmes of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)

Represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Tinubu highlighted educational development as a key priority of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.

He listed several initiatives introduced by his administration, including the student loan program, discussions with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for student welfare, and the approval of a waiver for the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy for Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members.

The President also noted that he endorsed an upward review of the Education Tax (EDT) to 3 per cent, effective from September 2023, to enhance funding for the education sector.

He said, “We have introduced the students’ loan initiative to ease access to tertiary education for indigent students, meeting personally with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to discuss the welfare of Nigerian students and recently, approving waiver of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ order on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which would pave the way for members of the union to receive part of their withheld salaries.

“These are part of conscious efforts being made by this administration to address students’ challenges and create industrial harmony between staff unions and the Government.

“As we all know, education plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of nations. Therefore, the commissioning of these projects today at the university would in no small measure further enhance teaching and learning and improvement of academic standards.

“I wish to reiterate that education forms an integral part of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope agenda, hence the Federal Government would continue to provide necessary support towards making our educational institutions globally competitive for economic and technological development of the country.”