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Covid-19:
My emphasis on research justified –Prof Bogoro
My emphasis on research justified –Prof Bogoro
Professor
Suleiman Elias Bogoro is the Executive Secretary (ES) of Tertiary Education Trust
Fund (TETFund). In this exclusive interview with UJI ABDULLAHI ILIYASU, he
talks about his unprecedented re-engagement, recognition of his achievements by
two media houses, knowledge-driven economy through research and development and
sundry issues.
Suleiman Elias Bogoro is the Executive Secretary (ES) of Tertiary Education Trust
Fund (TETFund). In this exclusive interview with UJI ABDULLAHI ILIYASU, he
talks about his unprecedented re-engagement, recognition of his achievements by
two media houses, knowledge-driven economy through research and development and
sundry issues.
You
have been given two awards by two prominent media houses recently. Why do you think
you deserve the awards?
have been given two awards by two prominent media houses recently. Why do you think
you deserve the awards?
Wonderful.
I wish somebody else will mention them.
But as you are the one asking me and you are a media man, I know how to
approach it. First, let us look at what is the definition of characterisation
of the award. I am humbled for two newspapers to give me awards which happened
incidentally on the same day. Earlier in the morning at the International Conference
Centre, Leadership Newspapers awarded me the “Public Service Person of The Year”. I was excited at the justification for the
award as expressed by them. They said very clearly that since my reinstatement
by Mr President to this office –recall that I was here between 2014 and 2016 as
ES of TETfund for one year, 10 months – my impacts have been glaring.
I wish somebody else will mention them.
But as you are the one asking me and you are a media man, I know how to
approach it. First, let us look at what is the definition of characterisation
of the award. I am humbled for two newspapers to give me awards which happened
incidentally on the same day. Earlier in the morning at the International Conference
Centre, Leadership Newspapers awarded me the “Public Service Person of The Year”. I was excited at the justification for the
award as expressed by them. They said very clearly that since my reinstatement
by Mr President to this office –recall that I was here between 2014 and 2016 as
ES of TETfund for one year, 10 months – my impacts have been glaring.
It was captured when I was disengaged by the
government, but nearly three years after reviewing the case, I was recalled and
reinstated by Mr President to the same office. It is something that has not
happened in this country at that level. They say that I have virtually raised
the level of impact of TETFund in public tertiary institutions: universities,
polytechnics and colleges of education, owned by federal and state governments
across Nigeria. In fact, the area they particularly found commendable is that I
am now emphasising research, and using R&D, i.e. Research and Development
to flack the essence of research. You don’t do research for the sake of
it. We have done a lot of research; some of them
to give certificates, bachelor’s, master’s and PhDs. We do research to address problems
at the level of senior professors. But the emphasis should be on problem-solving
research.
government, but nearly three years after reviewing the case, I was recalled and
reinstated by Mr President to the same office. It is something that has not
happened in this country at that level. They say that I have virtually raised
the level of impact of TETFund in public tertiary institutions: universities,
polytechnics and colleges of education, owned by federal and state governments
across Nigeria. In fact, the area they particularly found commendable is that I
am now emphasising research, and using R&D, i.e. Research and Development
to flack the essence of research. You don’t do research for the sake of
it. We have done a lot of research; some of them
to give certificates, bachelor’s, master’s and PhDs. We do research to address problems
at the level of senior professors. But the emphasis should be on problem-solving
research.
It is the problem-solving
research that is synonymous with R&D, which is what I am emphasising. They
say I have done so commendably across Nigeria and in the minds of Nigerians. Particularly,
lecturers and researchers now appreciate that the right way for Nigeria to
improve rating and ranking of our universities is through research. And even
the research must be problem solving. We are simultaneously dealing with the
improvement of quality of faculties. What that means is the quality of academic
staff; that is what constitutes a faculty that is a global reference. In
universities, we talk about faculties, we have institutional faculty by way of
structures. But faculty in proper context globally is referring to academic
staff. And faculty quality is very important; that is why we have been training
persons to acquire higher degrees particularly PhDs. TEFund scholars are returning
to the country. We have sponsored over
26,000 and above 10,000 have returned with their certificates and about equal
number with slightly more locally but significantly of course, overseas in
areas that are relevant. So, they noticed
that my emphasis on research and deepening researches, and promoting R&D
now which implies partnering with industries, is a new thing. And that is the
reality because we cannot continue to do research and keep the results in our
shelves, in the departments, in the faculties, in our offices and in the
libraries. And so what? It doesn’t solve problems. So since my return, I have
done that. And they say even the number
of physical infrastructure in our universities are increasing. TETFund-funded
faculty buildings, lecture halls, offices, laboratories, libraries and all that
and all that, they have seen more of them and the frequency of new ones
imagined, have happened more since my return last year. That is the basis for
their giving me the awards.
research that is synonymous with R&D, which is what I am emphasising. They
say I have done so commendably across Nigeria and in the minds of Nigerians. Particularly,
lecturers and researchers now appreciate that the right way for Nigeria to
improve rating and ranking of our universities is through research. And even
the research must be problem solving. We are simultaneously dealing with the
improvement of quality of faculties. What that means is the quality of academic
staff; that is what constitutes a faculty that is a global reference. In
universities, we talk about faculties, we have institutional faculty by way of
structures. But faculty in proper context globally is referring to academic
staff. And faculty quality is very important; that is why we have been training
persons to acquire higher degrees particularly PhDs. TEFund scholars are returning
to the country. We have sponsored over
26,000 and above 10,000 have returned with their certificates and about equal
number with slightly more locally but significantly of course, overseas in
areas that are relevant. So, they noticed
that my emphasis on research and deepening researches, and promoting R&D
now which implies partnering with industries, is a new thing. And that is the
reality because we cannot continue to do research and keep the results in our
shelves, in the departments, in the faculties, in our offices and in the
libraries. And so what? It doesn’t solve problems. So since my return, I have
done that. And they say even the number
of physical infrastructure in our universities are increasing. TETFund-funded
faculty buildings, lecture halls, offices, laboratories, libraries and all that
and all that, they have seen more of them and the frequency of new ones
imagined, have happened more since my return last year. That is the basis for
their giving me the awards.
The second award is the Business Day Newspapers’.
They made it very clear, in fact, the Managing Director called me aside
yesterday (March 19, 2020) at the award ceremony at the Yar’Adua Centre and
said to me, “Prof, I can tell you we gave you this award for two reasons.” Although they call it “Excellence in Public Service”,
he said to be specific, the two areas they felt I have excelled remarkably
above my peers in this country is that of impact that TETFund under my
leadership has demonstrated so manifestly.
“Even if you put on laboratories, you make sure you equip them,” he told me. The percentage of those with PhDs has
increased in our universities. Many years ago, about six, seven years ago, only
40 per cent of Nigerian university lecturers had PhDs. But by 2015, three, four
years after the intervention of academic staff training, the percentage has
grown up to 60. As I am talking to you now, I am comfortable that the percentage
is anything at the least 80. So we could
be talking about 85 percent to perhaps 90. So if it is up to 85 percent, if it
is three quarters, that is significant improvement. These are some of the impacts.
They made it very clear, in fact, the Managing Director called me aside
yesterday (March 19, 2020) at the award ceremony at the Yar’Adua Centre and
said to me, “Prof, I can tell you we gave you this award for two reasons.” Although they call it “Excellence in Public Service”,
he said to be specific, the two areas they felt I have excelled remarkably
above my peers in this country is that of impact that TETFund under my
leadership has demonstrated so manifestly.
“Even if you put on laboratories, you make sure you equip them,” he told me. The percentage of those with PhDs has
increased in our universities. Many years ago, about six, seven years ago, only
40 per cent of Nigerian university lecturers had PhDs. But by 2015, three, four
years after the intervention of academic staff training, the percentage has
grown up to 60. As I am talking to you now, I am comfortable that the percentage
is anything at the least 80. So we could
be talking about 85 percent to perhaps 90. So if it is up to 85 percent, if it
is three quarters, that is significant improvement. These are some of the impacts.
Then what
about the research? When I returned last year, the highest amount that had been
made available for single term was three billion for research under the National
Research Fund (NRF) of TETFund, which has a ceiling of up to 50 million. Not the institution based research which has
only two million ceiling. With this, someone can do applied research instead of
basic research. For instance last year, we made a proposal to the Board of Trustees,
they endorsed it and recommended it to Mr President and he, for the first time, approved five billion naira
NRF research grant. And recently, we have approved 128 research grants. With that money we are hoping that is for
2019. We signed out the grants in January.
We are hoping if we get Mr President’s approval of our budget, we will now move
to increase the research grant hopefully this year. This is what we are looking
forward to. The second reason for the award besides TETFund impact is what they
called clear demonstration of transparency; that my leadership at TETFund has
demonstrated transparency in handling public funds.
about the research? When I returned last year, the highest amount that had been
made available for single term was three billion for research under the National
Research Fund (NRF) of TETFund, which has a ceiling of up to 50 million. Not the institution based research which has
only two million ceiling. With this, someone can do applied research instead of
basic research. For instance last year, we made a proposal to the Board of Trustees,
they endorsed it and recommended it to Mr President and he, for the first time, approved five billion naira
NRF research grant. And recently, we have approved 128 research grants. With that money we are hoping that is for
2019. We signed out the grants in January.
We are hoping if we get Mr President’s approval of our budget, we will now move
to increase the research grant hopefully this year. This is what we are looking
forward to. The second reason for the award besides TETFund impact is what they
called clear demonstration of transparency; that my leadership at TETFund has
demonstrated transparency in handling public funds.
In
view of your emphasis on researches that are relevant to the society, is there
any grant for lecturers to research into Covid-19 pandemic?
view of your emphasis on researches that are relevant to the society, is there
any grant for lecturers to research into Covid-19 pandemic?
In
fact, let me say this. As soon as corona virus broke out, I said now there is
justification for our emphasis on research for universities, polytechnics and
colleges. I said it in my appreciation
remarks at the Leadership award yesterday. In fact, we got information that
Israeli scientists might have made a breakthrough in getting the cure for the
corona virus. That is an outcome of research. I tell you that we don’t need to
single out corona virus to know that research is important. Even for the
economy over all, and we can go into the specific: health, education,
infrastructure, call it. It is all
research.
fact, let me say this. As soon as corona virus broke out, I said now there is
justification for our emphasis on research for universities, polytechnics and
colleges. I said it in my appreciation
remarks at the Leadership award yesterday. In fact, we got information that
Israeli scientists might have made a breakthrough in getting the cure for the
corona virus. That is an outcome of research. I tell you that we don’t need to
single out corona virus to know that research is important. Even for the
economy over all, and we can go into the specific: health, education,
infrastructure, call it. It is all
research.
We have to do research to get
the right materials for building to avoid building collapse, for instance, and
get varieties of materials that are longer-lasting and perhaps cheaper. It is
only research that can do that. For
agriculture, it is only research that helps us know what we need to apply in
science and technology for agriculture to raise daily milk production by our
local breed of cows from only one to two litres of milk per day, to 10, 20, 30, and up to 50 litres a day as obtains
in temperate countries. It requires
injecting science and technology into agriculture. So we can go on and on. Even
in security, there is the tracking of individuals that are done through
electronic technology, to track persons that are criminals out there.
the right materials for building to avoid building collapse, for instance, and
get varieties of materials that are longer-lasting and perhaps cheaper. It is
only research that can do that. For
agriculture, it is only research that helps us know what we need to apply in
science and technology for agriculture to raise daily milk production by our
local breed of cows from only one to two litres of milk per day, to 10, 20, 30, and up to 50 litres a day as obtains
in temperate countries. It requires
injecting science and technology into agriculture. So we can go on and on. Even
in security, there is the tracking of individuals that are done through
electronic technology, to track persons that are criminals out there.
If we do not
undertake research to get the best technology to do that, we have done nothing.
So if you look at it in proper context, in fact what we are saying is that now
you can see the partnership between TETFund and the regulatory agencies,
particularly National Universities Commission (NUC). We are working closely
with the (National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission
for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to deepen research. We anticipated it and we
saw it coming in a knowledge economy. It is knowledge that solves problems. Now
the federal government, I think, has just released N100bn to medical
laboratories for assessment and analysis and evaluation. And of course, that
implies further research also. So for TETFund for instance, we are proposing
this year and if Mr President approves, we are going to make available to the
colleges of medicine some cutting edge medical research equipment this year, for
six colleges of medicine; one in each geopolitical zone. That is what is being proposed. That falls in line with the relevance of
research in addressing virtually everything, from social problem to medical
problem to agricultural problem to engineering problem to space science to environmentalism;
you can go on and on.
undertake research to get the best technology to do that, we have done nothing.
So if you look at it in proper context, in fact what we are saying is that now
you can see the partnership between TETFund and the regulatory agencies,
particularly National Universities Commission (NUC). We are working closely
with the (National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission
for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to deepen research. We anticipated it and we
saw it coming in a knowledge economy. It is knowledge that solves problems. Now
the federal government, I think, has just released N100bn to medical
laboratories for assessment and analysis and evaluation. And of course, that
implies further research also. So for TETFund for instance, we are proposing
this year and if Mr President approves, we are going to make available to the
colleges of medicine some cutting edge medical research equipment this year, for
six colleges of medicine; one in each geopolitical zone. That is what is being proposed. That falls in line with the relevance of
research in addressing virtually everything, from social problem to medical
problem to agricultural problem to engineering problem to space science to environmentalism;
you can go on and on.
You
are so serious about national issues as if Nigeria is your immediate family.
What are the levels of progress of the ad hoc committees you have so far set
up?
are so serious about national issues as if Nigeria is your immediate family.
What are the levels of progress of the ad hoc committees you have so far set
up?
I am glad you are following keenly what we
are doing in TETFund. Going through the departments at the moment, we have
three operational committees; we have two statutory and one ad hoc. The fourth
one, a standing committee, is coming up any moment. The first that I
inaugurated last year, was the National Research Fund (NRF) committee, chaired
by Professor Bamiro. It is the committee that manages the disbursement,
evaluation of research grants and calls for proposals from lecturers in
universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. I can tell you like I
said to you, I signed out in January 128 research grants, out of the five
billion Mr President approved last year. So there is more consciousness now on
research suddenly in the university system. But I will tell you one thing that
is bordering us. It is the success rate of the research grants that we are
approving.
are doing in TETFund. Going through the departments at the moment, we have
three operational committees; we have two statutory and one ad hoc. The fourth
one, a standing committee, is coming up any moment. The first that I
inaugurated last year, was the National Research Fund (NRF) committee, chaired
by Professor Bamiro. It is the committee that manages the disbursement,
evaluation of research grants and calls for proposals from lecturers in
universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. I can tell you like I
said to you, I signed out in January 128 research grants, out of the five
billion Mr President approved last year. So there is more consciousness now on
research suddenly in the university system. But I will tell you one thing that
is bordering us. It is the success rate of the research grants that we are
approving.
The success rate by definition technically means the number of
concept note that we have received last year. The percentage of that number
that scaled through first round screening and finally the percentage that
ultimately qualified to get approval and we did approve and they got the
grants. About 3000 applications or
concept notes rather were received. The first round of evaluation, 400 first
round made what we called basic compliance criteria. If you check it there, it
is like about 13 per cent of the total concept note that were received by
researchers. And after that we did final evaluation and only 128 survived. So
we are not very happy with the success rate.
concept note that we have received last year. The percentage of that number
that scaled through first round screening and finally the percentage that
ultimately qualified to get approval and we did approve and they got the
grants. About 3000 applications or
concept notes rather were received. The first round of evaluation, 400 first
round made what we called basic compliance criteria. If you check it there, it
is like about 13 per cent of the total concept note that were received by
researchers. And after that we did final evaluation and only 128 survived. So
we are not very happy with the success rate.
We would like to see the success rate move much higher than that. For
instance, at Embrapa in Brazil, the success
rate of their research grants is 40 percent. But in our own, the 128 research
grants out of the 3000 that applied earlier, the success rate is just about
four percent. So, it is one tenth, 4: 40 ratio.
Can you compare four with 40? So, four percent is absolute failure. In
this area we are looking at what is cause. And we have taken measures at TETFund
in liaison with regulatory agencies to correct it.
instance, at Embrapa in Brazil, the success
rate of their research grants is 40 percent. But in our own, the 128 research
grants out of the 3000 that applied earlier, the success rate is just about
four percent. So, it is one tenth, 4: 40 ratio.
Can you compare four with 40? So, four percent is absolute failure. In
this area we are looking at what is cause. And we have taken measures at TETFund
in liaison with regulatory agencies to correct it.
Some
states in Nigeria have more than one public universities while others have only
one. How can TETFund intervene in such states?
states in Nigeria have more than one public universities while others have only
one. How can TETFund intervene in such states?
You
are right. Some states have more than two, even three, four or even five. The
truth is that a decision had to be taken recently on that. You will not
establish institutions and bring them. The number of tertiary institutions is
increasing but the money available has not increased, so it is a problem. In
other words, the per capital fund available per institution is going down, so
the impact will be reduced. If I were giving you 10,000 naira to feed in a
month, for instance, you are a student in a higher institution, and suddenly
you wake up in the next six months, and I say I have only 5,000 naira for you,
after another six months, I have only
one thousand. Meanwhile, inflation is
rising. You will agree that there will be no impact. The board has to take a
decision that the highest number of universities, polytechnics or colleges of
education in a state to be supported by TETFund is two so that we don’t
encourage many to reduce TETFund impact. So each year we alternate
interventions in the two institutions.
That is the only way we can solve the problem.
are right. Some states have more than two, even three, four or even five. The
truth is that a decision had to be taken recently on that. You will not
establish institutions and bring them. The number of tertiary institutions is
increasing but the money available has not increased, so it is a problem. In
other words, the per capital fund available per institution is going down, so
the impact will be reduced. If I were giving you 10,000 naira to feed in a
month, for instance, you are a student in a higher institution, and suddenly
you wake up in the next six months, and I say I have only 5,000 naira for you,
after another six months, I have only
one thousand. Meanwhile, inflation is
rising. You will agree that there will be no impact. The board has to take a
decision that the highest number of universities, polytechnics or colleges of
education in a state to be supported by TETFund is two so that we don’t
encourage many to reduce TETFund impact. So each year we alternate
interventions in the two institutions.
That is the only way we can solve the problem.
What
do you want Nigerians to remember you for after leaving TETfund office as
Executive Secretary?
do you want Nigerians to remember you for after leaving TETfund office as
Executive Secretary?
I
would like to be remembered for adding value and making a difference. I must acknowledge
that I came and met fantastic initiatives by my predecessors. For instance, the
academic content component, research, book development, library intervention,
call it. They identified these things very well. But time changes and there are
new things so I came and introduced R&D department. R&D department is
just to remind us that research is not done for the sake of it. It is deep
research, problem-solving research. This is my idea that I would like to be remembered
for. Aggressively, I visionised that Nigeria needs to institutionalise R&D,
not only in our academic institutions, but in the industry. If you
institutionalise R&D you are bringing the researchers to work hand in hand
with industries to solve problems. We
have passed a stage when we did it for people to clap for us even if it is
theoretical research that does not solve any problem. So, I would like to be remembered for making a
case for the institutionalisation of R&D in Nigeria to solve the problem of
the economy, problem of technology and problems of nation.
would like to be remembered for adding value and making a difference. I must acknowledge
that I came and met fantastic initiatives by my predecessors. For instance, the
academic content component, research, book development, library intervention,
call it. They identified these things very well. But time changes and there are
new things so I came and introduced R&D department. R&D department is
just to remind us that research is not done for the sake of it. It is deep
research, problem-solving research. This is my idea that I would like to be remembered
for. Aggressively, I visionised that Nigeria needs to institutionalise R&D,
not only in our academic institutions, but in the industry. If you
institutionalise R&D you are bringing the researchers to work hand in hand
with industries to solve problems. We
have passed a stage when we did it for people to clap for us even if it is
theoretical research that does not solve any problem. So, I would like to be remembered for making a
case for the institutionalisation of R&D in Nigeria to solve the problem of
the economy, problem of technology and problems of nation.