TETFund Tackles Importation of Substandard Textbooks, Sponsors 10
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
As a result of poor quality, rising foreign exchange and pressure on demand amongst other inadequacies, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has sponsored 10 indigenous textbooks to tackle the malaise.
The textbooks which have been designed to be used in the nation’s ivory towers were co-authored by 56 academics from Nigerian Tertiary institutions in which 60 percent was published by the Academic Publishing Centres (APCs) established by TETFund.
Speaking at the public presentation on Tuesday, Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu said the scarcity of tertiary level textbooks had reached a crisis proportion, hence the establishment of TETFund Higher Education Book Development Project.
He said it was expected that nurturing the culture of quality authorship and the production of indigenous books will not only ensure the availability of relevant books in the diverse subject areas that take cognizance of the nation’s local environment and sensitivities, but will also safeguard national pride and reduce the demand for foreign exchange.
Represented by the Minister of State, Mr. Goodluck Nana Opiah, the minister stated that it was worthy of note that so far 77 manuscripts had passed through vigorous review processes by distinguished scholars and with an additional 30 that would be presented before the end of the year.
He added that teaching and research depend on relevant instructional materials such as published books and journals, monographs, and other specialised reading materials as well as e-publishing of books and journals.
“The paucity of indigenously authored and produced tertiary level textbooks and related academic publications in the nation’s tertiary education institutions is a known fact overtime. Nigeria’s tertiary education institutions became dependent on books published outside the country with the attendant consequences of the pressure on the demand for foreign exchange. It is equally worrisome that the quality of most academic publications in our country leaves much to be desired.
“It is therefore expected that nurturing the culture of quality authorship and the production of indigenous books will not only ensure the availability of relevant books in the diverse subject areas that take cognizance of our local environment and sensitivities but will also safeguard national pride and reduce the demand for foreign exchange.
The textbooks include Principles of Veterinary Surgery: A Concise Text for Veterinary Students, Fundamentals of Chemistry, Fundamentals of Public Finance, Java for Beginners and Web Design for Programming for Beginners.
Others are: The Comparative Method and Civil Military Relations, Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics for Engineers, A Guide to Teacher Competence Evaluation, Financial Deepening and Economic Growth in Nigeria and Motivational Factors and Teacher Efficiency in Secondary Schools.
