FG reaffirms commitment to safe learning environments
for Nigerian students
By Uji A Iliyasu Abuja
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to providing safer learning environments for Nigerian students through sustained support for the Safe School Initiative.
Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, stated this in Abuja on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to his office.
Echono said the government, in collaboration with security agencies, would continue to prioritise the safety of students across all learning institutions.
“As I have always said, and in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Nigerian students remain at the centre of all our interventions in the education sector,” he noted. “Education is about teaching and learning—what students learn, how they learn, and the outcome of that learning. These are the issues driving us to think beyond the box and explore innovative ways to improve the learning environment.”
He added that the Fund is also working on strategies to motivate lecturers and enhance the provision of both physical and digital learning facilities.
Echono assured NANS of the present administration’s determination to make Nigerian graduates globally competitive, stressing that students should be equipped not only to seek employment but to create jobs.
“Mr President is very appreciative of the massive support he received from Nigerian youths. We encourage you to sustain that support. We will continue to implement programmes that empower you and prepare you to become effective leaders,” he said, adding that the President has already demonstrated commitment by appointing several young people into his cabinet.
The TETFund boss also pledged the Fund’s support for NANS, especially in relation to the association’s forthcoming 45th anniversary.
Earlier, the NANS leadership commended TETFund for its contributions to infrastructural development in tertiary institutions, noting that many institutions might not have survived without the agency’s interventions.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, NANS Secretary-General, Comrade Anzaku Shedrack, passed a vote of confidence on Echono for his “outstanding performance” as the Fund’s Executive Secretary.
He stated that their visit was to brief him on preparations for the association’s 45th anniversary scheduled for December 4–7, 2025, during which President Tinubu and Echono will receive awards as the Grand Commander and Patron of Nigerian Students respectively.