TETFUND: FG Boosts Tertiary Education with 82 New Scholar-Authored Textbooks
TETFUND: FG Boosts Tertiary Education with 82 New Scholar-Authored Textbooks
In a decisive move to end Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on foreign academic materials, the Federal Government on Wednesday officially unveiled 82 new textbooks authored by indigenous scholars.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) under its Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project, aims to reclaim the country’s academic sovereignty by filling the void in locally-produced research, particularly in STEM fields.
A Push for Academic Sovereignty
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, presented the titles in Abuja, emphasizing that the project targets a critical shortage of quality academic resources in Science, Technology, and Engineering.
“This initiative is about more than just printing books; it is about supporting Nigerian scholars to produce quality resources that reflect our local context,” Alausa stated. He further urged that the distribution of these books prioritize academic excellence over mere profit, ensuring they reach students both within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.
The Numbers Behind the Intervention
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, provided a breakdown of the production scale, noting that the agency is scaling up its efforts to bridge the textbook deficit.
* New Titles: 72 of the presented books were newly authored under the TETFund project, while 10 were sourced from established, reputable scholars.
* Total Output: To date, TETFund has published 202 academic titles, with hundreds more currently under evaluation.
* Mass Distribution: Over 400,000 copies are slated for distribution to beneficiary institutions across the country.
New Policy: Better Incentives for Authors
Echono also announced a significant shift in how authors are compensated. Moving away from the old model of providing 1,000 physical copies to the writer, TETFund has introduced a monetary honorarium system.
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| Feature | Old Policy | New Operational Policy |
| Compensation | 1,000 physical copies | Cash honorarium (based on content/page count) |
| Author Perks | Limited liquid cash | 20 complimentary copies + cash |
| Goal | Author-led distribution | Professionalized, wide-scale distribution |
A Bittersweet Celebration
The event took a somber turn as participants observed a minute of silence for Valerie Young Harry, a contributing author who passed away recently.
Aminu Masari, Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, paid tribute to her work, describing it as a “lasting legacy.” He advocated for the commercialization of these works, ensuring that the intellectual labor of Nigerian scholars provides long-term financial benefits for their families and estates.
