TERAS, every challenge provides an opportunity for an organization to reinvent itself. Much like a whirlwind, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant disruptions worldwide, leaving a profound impact on virtually every facet of life. Nigeria, like many other parts of the world, was not spared from these disruptions, especially in its education sector, which was forced to close its physical classrooms for an extended period. As a result, there was a swift and transformative shift towards online learning.
However, this transition wasn’t without its hurdles. Issues such as limited internet access, high data costs, a shortage of digital devices, and low digital literacy levels among many students, educators, and staff of tertiary institutions posed significant challenges. Furthermore, educators found themselves under increased stress as they had to rapidly adapt to new teaching methods, often without adequate training or support.
The devastating impact on the education sector served as a catalyst for action. This led to the creation of Tertiary Education Research, Applications, and Services (TERAS), an innovative initiative born under the leadership of Sonny Echono and supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
This initiative was not a solo effort. It involved collaborative input from various regulatory agencies within the education sector, such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), as well as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Galaxy Backbone, among others.
At the unveiling and launch of TERAS in Abuja, Sonny Echono explained that the platform was designed as a centralized hub for tertiary education services, aiming to connect educators, students, and the academic community. This groundbreaking platform offers a wide array of capabilities and functionalities for public tertiary institutions, students, researchers, and the entire education ecosystem.
Some of the notable services provided by TERAS include the Beneficiary Identity Management System (BIMS), a federated academic repository to address the critical challenges faced by students, researchers, and institutions in accessing educational resources and research materials. Additionally, institutions, staff, and students benefit from sponsored Mobile Internet Access, EagleScan for plagiarism checking, Aggregated Journal and Research Subscription, Blackboard Learning Management System, and Digital Literacy, among others.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund highlighted the significant impact of their interventions in Information Communications Technology (ICT), with over 215 tertiary institutions benefiting since 2016. The Blackboard system, designed to enhance online learning and communication skills, has already benefited over two million staff and students of beneficiary institutions, with a target of reaching three million end-users by the end of 2023.
Echono emphasized TETFund’s role as an intervention agency, established to provide supplementary support to all levels of public tertiary institutions. Their primary objective is to use funding and project management to rehabilitate, restore, and consolidate tertiary education in the country.
Echono also emphasized the ever-increasing importance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in various innovations, including data and analytics, the internet of things, convergence, blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, NANO technology, and more. Carefully crafted policies have been implemented to harness the power of technology, empowering educators, students, and the workforce to address national challenges and seize opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development. TERAS takes a strategic approach by aggregating these services, maximizing value for money while making a wide range of services available to the entire education ecosystem.
With the launch of the TERAS platform, industry experts believe that the disruptions caused by COVID-19 in the education sector will not happen again. Stakeholders at the event lauded the significant contributions of TETFund under the leadership of Sonny Echono, especially in complementing the achievements of the ministry. They asserted that without the Fund’s interventions, higher education institutions in Nigeria would have faced severe challenges.
Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, described TERAS as a game-changer that will transform the nation’s tertiary education landscape. The launch marked another significant milestone in the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revolutionize tertiary education in the country. The ministry pledged unwavering support to beneficiary institutions and the Fund. The new platform offers free mobile internet access, access to research e-Journals year-round, plagiarism detection services, and renewable power solutions for libraries.
The ministry expressed its commitment to leverage the digital educational resources provided by TERAS to accelerate the adoption of hybrid learning methodologies in public tertiary institutions.
The Secretary of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Professor Yakubu Ochefu, commended TETFund for its technological initiatives and encouraged Nigerians to come forward with technology solutions to enhance the education sector. He urged the minister to ensure that TERAS serves as a research platform for all Nigerians, emphasizing its potential as one of the world’s best repositories.
Conclusion: TERAS
Various end-users, including students, lecturers, and researchers, shared their testimonials about how they have benefited from the interventions of TETFund. These testimonials highlighted the positive impact of these initiatives in enhancing education and research in Nigeria.
