The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has been awarded the 2024 Anthology Visionary Award for its outstanding leadership in advancing education through technology.
This is contained in a statement issued by Abdulmumin Oniyangi, Director, Public Affairs, TETFUND, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday.
Oniyangi said the feat was made possible through the agency’s significant contributions to integrating technology into Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions’ curricula and instructional methods.
He said the award ceremony, held at the Orlando World Centre in the United States, drew an audience of over 2,000 global academic leaders.
He quoted the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, in his acceptance speech to have emphasised that TETFund’s initiatives aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Echono said the president’s initiative sought to revamp Nigeria’s education sector and ensure that all graduates achieve digital literacy before completing their studies.
He recalled that on October 17, 2023, the Federal Ministry of Education, led by Prof. Tahir Mamman, introduced the Tertiary Education Research and Application Systems (TERAS) and Beneficiaries Identity Management System (BIMS).
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According to him, this initiative, spearheaded by TETFund in collaboration with Anthology and Blackboard, aims to create a more inclusive educational environment, enhance research and teaching, and improve student services across tertiary institutions.
Echono highlighted the essential role of digital literacy in today’s educational and employment landscapes.
He noted that while many countries have successfully incorporated digital skills into their curricula, Nigeria faces challenges such as outdated curricula, insufficiently trained educators, and inadequate infrastructure.
He added that these gaps resulted in graduates who were not fully prepared for technology-driven job markets.
To address these issues, he said TETFund is supporting over 280 public tertiary institutions with a comprehensive strategy to ensure all students achieve digital literacy.
“The agency’s plan includes phased curriculum integration, educator training, global partnerships, and the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Digital Literacy and Emerging Skills,” he said. (NAN)
