Minister of education, Prof. Tahir Mamman has identified industry-linked research in the country’s institutions of higher learning as key to national development.
The minister stated this in his office in Abuja, while receiving briefings from chief executives of Parastatals and agencies under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education.
Tahir said, “The federal government is determined to support research linked to industry so as to synchronize research and the industrial sector in order to accelerate national development.”
According to a press statement by Ben Bem Goong, the director press and public relations, the minister also called on members of the academic community to see research beyond promotion and career advancement, adding that overall national development must take priority over any other considerations.
He promised to do everything humanly possible to ensure that industry-based research is encouraged to accelerate national development.
On his part, the minister of state for education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu expressed government’s determination to support the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), in its efforts at promoting industry-based research.
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu will do everything humanly possible to clear any obstacle on the way of research funding.
Earlier in his briefing, the executive secretary of TETFUND, Sonny Echono, told the ministers that the fund has in the last two years sponsored over 65, 000 staff in Tertiary Institutions to national and international conferences, workshops and training programmes.
The executive secretary briefed the ministers on critical investments being made by the Fund on high impact projects, disaster recovery and research grants.
Echono informed the ministers that investment in research in varsities led to the production and public presentations of over 60 books in 2022, adding that more books will be published at designated publishing houses across the six geopolitical zones in the coming years.w
