GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

The study attempts to investigate the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and development of Tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The importance of university education in a developing country such as Nigeria cannot be neglected. This is due to the fact that the overall growth and development of the nation is hinged upon the success of the educational sector. The goal of higher education in Nigeria is designed towards advancing Nigeria's economic growth and global competitiveness through the provision of accessible, relevant, high quality education in our Tertiary Education Institutions and to constantly attract, develop and graduate competent, knowledgeable and talented individuals from our Tertiary Education Institutions. The study concluded that TETFund contributes to the development of higher education in Nigeria. TETFund has been responsible for the distribution of intervention funds to the various public higher institutions in Nigeria. This includes the Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and other levels of education. Although the agency also takes responsibility for the funding of other lower levels of education within the country, however, their major task has been in the area of distributing and monitoring fund among tertiary institutions in the country. One of the recommendations made was that TETFund need to embark on periodic evaluation and supervision of projects it is supporting or funding in higher institutions in the region. This evaluation and supervision should not be restricted to capital projects alone. Projects on manpower development like academic staff training, conferences, workshops, engineering fabrications, supply of equipment among others should also be subjected to severe evaluation and supervision by TETFund.

KEYWORDS: Higher education, TETFund, Nigeria