N4.9bn allocated for book devt Fund -TETFund

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof Suleiman Bogoro has disclosed that a total of N4,950,000,000 have been approved as the Book Development Fund for tertiary institutions.
Bogoro who was speaking while inaugurating the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Book Development Fund in Abuja, stated that already, N2,589,438,751 has been utilised for the intended purpose.
The executive secretary stated that the fund was allocated to ensure adequate production and supply of locally developed academic texts in line with the mandate of the Fund.
“The Book Development Fund intervenes in three interrelated areas, Development and Publication of Academic Books as well as conversion of high quality thesis into books; Support for Professional Associations Journals and Establishment and sustainability of Academic Publishing Centers(APC)” he said.
The executive secretary revealed that the TAG was inaugurated to ensure production of exceptional quality manuscripts for the academia as well as to serve as mentors to young and mid-career academics.
The TAG among other things is expected to harvest theses and masters’ dissertation from across Beneficiary Institutions for possible conversion into books, screen proposals on manuscripts and thesis/dissertations for development into academic textbooks and advising TETFund on fundable manuscript/thesis or dissertation.
The Advisory group is also expected to screen and advise TETFund on submissions from professional associations to support production and learned journals and ensure the establishment and proper functioning of APCs via the three sub-committees.
Responding, the chairman of the TAG, Professor Charles Aworh stated that the advisory group work diligently to ensure that it met the vision and goals of the executive secretary, in line with the TETFund mandate. The committee will serve for two years and will have its membership renewed subject to satisfactory performance.