Education
ITF Denies Sponsoring Students Abroad
Joel Ajayi
The management of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF has described the purported publication by some Online Newspapers, alleging sponsorship of Nigerian students abroad as the handiwork of mischief makers.
In a statement made available to newsmen, in Abuja on Monday, by the Public Affairs department ITF, they states that
” The attention of the management of the Industrial Training Fund has been drawn to some online publications alleging that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC as part of its two-day solidarity strike with members of the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria University, ASUU, has listed names of Nigerians and public civil servants and institutions for picketing.
Our initial reactions were to dismiss the purported press statement credited to NLC, but that may further strengthen and serve as a basis for mischief makers who dwell in misleading the public about government policies.”
The statement further explained the mandate of the Industrial Trust Fund
Established in 1971, the Industrial Training Fund has operated consistently and painstakingly within the context of its enabling laws Decree 47 of 1971 as Amended in the 2011 ITF ACT the objective for which the Fund was established has been pursued vigorously and efficaciously. In the four decades of its existence, the ITF has not only raised training consciousness in the economy, but has also helped in generating a corps of skilled indigenous manpower which has been manning and managing various sectors of the national economy.
Over the years, pursuant to its statutory responsibility, the ITF has expanded its structures, developed training programs, and reviewed its strategies, operations, and services in order to meet the expanding, and changing demands for skilled manpower in the economy.
“In line with the mandate the industrial training fund does not sponsor Nigeria students overseas or offer scholarships to foreign students or any Nigeria schooling abroad, rather it collaborates with other supervisory institutions like the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and the Nigeria University Commission, NUC in the area of Technical and Skill acquisitions that are in line with the mandate and also send their staff overseas to acquire global best practices in skills
“As part of its responsibilities, the ITF provides Direct Training, Vocational and Apprentice Training, Research and Consultancy Service, Reimbursement of up to 50% Training contribution paid by employers of labour registered with it, and administers the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). It also provides human resource development information and training technology service to industry and commerce to enhance their manpower capacity and in-house training delivery effort.
The main thrust of ITF programs and services is to stimulate human performance, improve productivity, and induce value-added production in industry and commerce. Through its SIWES and Vocational and Apprentice Training Programmes, the Fund also builds capacity for graduates and youth self-employment, in the context of Small Scale Industrialization, in the economy.
The Industrial Training Fund is a grade ‘A’ Parastatal operating under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. It has been operating for 50 years as a specialist agency that promotes and encourages the acquisition of industrial and
Continued, the Public Affairs Department while appealing to media institutions and practitioners whom he described as partners in progress appealed to the media not to allow it selves to be used to mislead the public.
The management wishes to reemphasize that it does not sponsor students overseas rather it is their staffs that go to study overseas to acquire skills in global best practices, appeal to media practitioners to verify their stories before going to the press,
As an institution the ITF like any other Government Agency, parastatals are open to scrutiny, as a statutory agency whose books are subject to verifications and auditing by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, OAGoF, and the Auditor General of the Federation, AGoF and budgetary by the National Assembly.
Education
Athena Centre Appointed to NGREN Board as Federal Government Deepens Data-Driven Governance
Joel Ajayi
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN)/Tertiary Education Research Applications and Services (TERAS). NgREN -Nigeria’s national research and education backbone – provides high-speed connectivity, shared digital services, and collaboration infrastructure for universities and research institutions, while TERAS powers the digital applications that support research, data exchange, and digital learning across the tertiary system.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the center’s Media and Communications Officer Paul Liam.
The new NgREN/TERAS Board was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at the Nigeria National EdTech Strategy Mid-Term Co-Creation Workshop, hosted with support from Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank Group.
The Board includes the Executive Secretaries of NUC, NBTE, NCCE, and TETFund; representatives of vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts; and major digital infrastructure stakeholders such as NCC, Galaxy Backbone, and USPF. The Athena Centre joins the Board as the civil society voice.
In his remarks, Dr. Alausa acknowledged the Centre’s role in shaping national transparency reforms, noting that the Ministry’s Federal Tertiary Institutions Governance Transparency Portal (FTIGTP) drew inspiration from Athena’s research and advocacy.
He expressed confidence that the reconstituted Board will deliver measurable improvements within two years to strengthen Nigeria’s research ecosystem and digital readiness.
Representing the Centre on the Board, its Chancellor, Chief Osita Chidoka, OFR, commended the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based reform.Reaffirming the Ministry’s digital direction, Dr. Alausa stated: “For the first time, Nigeria is building a unified data architecture for basic, secondary, and tertiary institutions. You cannot reform what you cannot measure, and we are determined to measure what matters.”
Echoing the need for interoperability, Dr. Tijani emphasised the importance of shared digital infrastructure, noting:“Digital transformation fails when systems operate in silos. Our priority is a national architecture where platforms talk to each other and every school is connected.”
Chidoka welcomed the digital innovation underway but stressed the importance of deeper inclusion of state governments, who own and manage most Nigerian schools, in planning, implementation, and financing.
According to him:“For education to succeed, states must invest, lead, and commit. The Federal Government must coordinate and support, but it cannot carry the burden of school management alone.”
The Athena Centre reaffirmed its commitment to supporting federal and state governments in strengthening education data systems, digital governance, and transparent accountability.Media Contact:
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