The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahya, has called for a strategic partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to support education in Nigeria.
Yahya made the call when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, in Abuja. He commended the agency for its role in revitalising tertiary institutions across the country and pledged deeper collaboration to strengthen public awareness of education sector interventions.
“The union has consistently monitored the agency’s activities and is satisfied with the execution of projects in institutions nationwide. This visit is aimed at strengthening institutional partnership and exploring ways both organisations could work together to advance national development through improved education outcomes and informed public engagement,” Yahya said.
He proposed a joint inspection tour of selected tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones to assess projects executed and showcase their impact. According to him, the tour would allow journalists to independently observe interventions and communicate their significance to the public.
Yahya noted that the NUJ had previously passed a vote of confidence in TETFund’s leadership and advocated increased federal funding for the agency, stressing that timely release of funds remains essential to sustaining intervention programmes. He added that joint public sensitisation would help Nigerians appreciate the scale of work being carried out in tertiary institutions.
In his response, TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono emphasized that Nigeria’s tertiary education system requires sustained investment, public trust, and stronger institutional support to overcome infrastructure and research gaps. He explained that the Fund was established to halt the decline in academic standards and restore confidence in universities and other higher institutions.
“Although considerable progress has been made through sustained government support and structured intervention programmes, major challenges persist across institutions,” Echono said, identifying deficiencies in infrastructure, research facilities, and teaching conditions as areas requiring significant investment.
By Aaron Ossai, Abuja
