The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Arc. Sonny Echono has called for the full implementation of the University Autonomy Act 2007.

Echono said that the full implementation of the 2007 Act would provide a uniform framework for autonomy across all the universities in Nigeria, enabling them to achieve academic excellence as well as contribute to national development.

He spoke while delivering lecture on ‘University autonomy and the challenge of quality tertiary education in Nigeria’ at the ninth convocation of the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, lamenting that the implementation was of the university autonomy Act was limited to the federal universities.

The TETFUND boss, however, stressed the urgent need for stakeholders in the Nigerian university system to collaborate in ensuring total implementation of the Act beyond federal universities.

He noted that autonomy is essential for the universities to achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness, adding that ivory towers must enjoy administrative, financial, and academic autonomy to provide innovative solutions to national challenges and compete globally.

Echono noted that the autonomy would enable Nigerian universities to initiate ideas, improve quality education, and contribute to national development. 

The TETFUND boss also highlighted the benefit of university autonomy including collaboration with industries, alumni, and other institutions, which would enhance their infrastructure and facilitate global competitiveness.

He said,”Autonomy enables universities to enhance their infrastructure network using their collaboration with industries, alumni, and other educational and research institutions. 

“University autonomy also provides opportunities for global collaboration between many universities to share ideas and experiences, pedagogy used for effective teaching and learning processes, offer shared courses, dual degree programmes, cultural exchange programmes, research collaborations between different countries, and facilitate global competitiveness”, Echono added. 

The TETFUND boss also identified that inadequate funding of tertiary education remained a threat to quality education in Nigeria, saying many institutions were finding it difficult to build classrooms as a result of inadequate funding.

“Except for the intervention of TETFUND, many tertiary institutions in Nigeria were finding it difficult to build classrooms and lecture halls, equipment laboratories and workshops and provide research grants to their academic staff,” he said.