By Ngozi Nwankwo
The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, has recommitted to allocating taxpayer resources more effectively for educational growth.
Echono stated this immediately after receiving the Legacy Award from the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), alongside other distinguished educators.
The award was presented to the Executive Secretary during the COEASU 2024 International Teachers’ Day celebration and awards for the best students in Colleges of Education in Nigeria, held on Friday in Abuja, organized to commemorate Teachers’ Day by the Union.
Under the theme “Valuing Teachers’ Voices Towards Repositioning Teacher Education in Nigeria,” the ceremony also honored notable recipients, including the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and His Excellency Alhaji Abdulmalik Mahmood, former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State.
Speaking with journalists after receiving the award, Echono thanked the President for the opportunity to serve and congratulated teachers worldwide on their special day.
“We feel particularly honored that they have chosen this occasion to also recognize us with the Legacy Award and Induction into the Hall of Fame.
“I was informed in the letter that this award reflects the culmination of our service—our humble contributions during my tenure as Permanent Secretary for four and a half years and the last two and a half years as Executive Secretary of TETFund.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the management, and staff, we express our appreciation and renew our commitment to ensuring that taxpayer money is prudently and judiciously deployed for the development of education in our country. Our goal is to help our students acquire the skills to become competitive global citizens who can contribute to national development.”
Earlier, the President of COEASU, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, announced that the Union has awarded N3.5 million to the six best students, each representing one of the six geopolitical zones in the country.
“Our Union has instituted a scholarship for the best student in the College of Education system in Nigeria. Through a transparent, objective, and externally coordinated examination process, we identified the best students from each zone, as well as an overall top student.”
He called on government agencies, private organizations, awardees, and individuals to contribute to these prizes for the students.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, presented the awards to the students and reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to improving teachers’ welfare.
In addition to the COEASU awards, the Federal Government will also provide scholarships to the students. He directed that their information be submitted to the Federal Scholarship Board and urged people to view teaching as a profession, not just an activity.
He commended the cooperation received from the two unions, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and COEASU.
Also speaking, guest speaker Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, the former Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), urged the government
to offer attractive remuneration packages to teachers and provide regular training, workshops, and conferences.
He emphasised the need to engage teachers, unions, and communities in decision-making processes, while advocating for investment in modern classrooms, technology, and educational resources.
He recommended increased funding for education infrastructure and the development of a comprehensive teacher training program, while also advocating for the launch of a nationwide teaching recruitment campaign.
On his part, the executive secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle emphasised the need to continue to elevate the status of teaching profession, ensuring that it attracts the brightest and most passionate individuals.