By Emeka Oluka
A team of experts from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) paid an assessment visit to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) on April 18, 2024, for the upgrade of Workshops and Laboratory Equipment.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde with the Director, Directorate of Academic Planning, Prof. Olajide Sogunle, and the Director, Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships, Prof. Mutiu Busari, including the Director, Directorate of Technologists and Technical Staff (DITTECS), Dr. ‘Wunmi Abimbola-Okuneye among others, took the TETFund Team members, comprising Prof. Ganiyu Oboh, Prof. Olatunde Farombi and Mrs. Oluwatoyin Omoniwa to various Laboratories in the University for on-site assessment of the Laboratories and its equipment.
The Team’s mission was primarily to assess the state of the Workshops and Laboratories in FUNAAB and make recommendations on the operationalisation of the equipment upgrade regarding the type/category of upgrade, whether repair or replacement of obsolete equipment.
Among the various Laboratories visited were the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE) Central Laboratory; the Biotechnology Centre; College of Biosciences (COLBIOS) Laboratories; College of Engineering (COLENG) Central Workshop/Laboratories and the nearly-completed Solar Power project site.
During the visit, the TETFund Assessment Team took inventory of Laboratory equipment that needed repair, upgrade and overhauling, assuring the Vice-Chancellor of putting forward the report in line with best practices.
In the meantime, the need for constituting the Advisory Committee to assess the state of the Workshops and Laboratories in Higher Institutions of learning by TETFund is borne out of the need to enhance the capacity of Higher Institutions to deliver on their mandate.
