UNICAL, 17 Other Universities To Benefit From FG N10bn Medical Education TETFund
The Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced a N110 billion investment towards enhancing the study of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing in 18 universities across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this known while inaugurating the ministerial committee on the TETFund High Impact Intervention Project for Medical Schools Rehabilitation Across the Six Geo-political Zones on Tuesday in Abuja.
“Today, we are deploying over 100 billion in our medical institutions across the country. This N110 billion includes N70 billion on rehabilitation of our medical institutions,” he said.
The minister, who stated that the move would lead to a massive increase in enrolment for the four medical sciences programmes, said the investment which will run for five years consecutively, would hit N1.5 trillion after five years.
“With the investment today, in five years we would have invested N1.5 trillion in our medical education,”. the minister said, adding that the move would also see to the establishment of eight simulation labs across the six geo-political zones.
The minister also disclosed that each of the 18 beneficiary institutions would receive approximately N4 billion, including N750 million for hostel construction.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the setting up of this committee was conceived as part of the Minister’s initiative to enhance the Nigerian education system, specifically the Medical Schools, by utilizing the TETFund High Impact Intervention Projects efficiently and effectively to address critical national needs in the health sector.
“This has been designed to improve infrastructure in medical schools, through the rehabilitation of lecture theatres and laboratory facilities thereby enhancing capacity to take-in and produce more Doctors, Nurses. Dentists and pharmacists for the nation,” he said.
He called on the members of the committee to give their best in ensuring the success of the initiative.
The 12-man committee, which is chaired by Prof. Suleiman Alabi-Chairman of the Association of Provosts of Colleges of Medicine, has its terms of reference to include ensuring adherence to project goals, monitoring the proper use of funds, and maintaining detailed records.
The committee was also charged to ensure that the funds allocated to the rehabilitation of medical schools are used effectively as well as be responsible for ensuring that all stakeholders—including medical school administrators, faculty, students, and relevant health bodies—are fully engaged throughout the project’s implementation.
The beneficiary universities for the TETFund High Impact Intervention Project for Medical Schools Rehabilitation are Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka,
Bayelsa State University, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Benin and Imo State University, Owerri.
Others are University of Medical Sciences Ondo, University of Ibadan, Benue State University, Makurdi, Umar Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina, University of Nigeria, Nssuka and University of Calabar.
The list also includes Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, University of Jos, University of Ilorin, University of Maiduguri, Uthman Danfodio University Sokoto, and Gombe State University.
