FG approves N4.9bn book devt fund for tertiary institutions

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TEFund) says the federal government has approved over N4.9 billion for book development fund to revive academic publishing in tertiary institutions.

TETFund ‘s Executive Secretary, Dr. Suleiman Bogoro, disclosed this on Thursday at the third inaugural ceremony of the technical advisory group on book development fund in Abuja.

Bogoro said that there is critical paucity of indigenously produced tertiary level textbooks and related academic publications in the nation’s tertiary institutions, asserting that “it is equally worrisome that quality of most academic publications in Nigeria leaves much to be desired.

“It is expected that nurturing the culture of quality authorship and production of indigenous books will ensure availability of recent books and safeguard national pride.

“It is true that foreign books are helpful but an indigenous book industry is needed to provide opportunities for the nation’s writers, thinkers and artists,” he said.

The executive secretary added that the gross insufficiency of standard tertiary level literature in our libraries and bookshops further underscores the urgent need to encourage indigenous authorship of textbooks for tertiary institutions.

He said that the project was inspired by the need to ensure adequate production and supply of locally developed academic texts, and in line with fund’s mandated.

“A seed grant of N2 billion was approved by the board of trustees for the book development fund which is being utilised centrally for development of manuscripts and textbooks.

“Subsequently, an additional sum of N2.980 billion would be added to the seed grant, which is making it N4,98 billion out of which N2,589,438,751.03 has been utilised for the intended purpose.

“The book development fund intervenes in three inter-related areas, namely, development and publication of academic books as well as conversion of high quality thesis into book.

“Support for professional associations’ journals and establishment as well as sustainability of academic publishing centres,” he said.

The TETFund boss noted that there is ongoing construction of seven academic publishing centres at least one in a university in each of the six geo-political zones and Federal Capital Territory with the aim of reviving quality academic publishing in tertiary institutions.

According to him, the centres are to be fully equipped and staffed to provide all necessary pre-press support for the production of quality manuscripts and conversions of manuscripts into books.

“Out of the seven APCs that have been established across six geo-political zones and FCT, four centres are completed and commissioned.

“Others centres are at various stages of completion, which are to be completed and commissioned by the end of 2019. We are expecting the inaugurated technical advisory group to advise the fund on the sustainability of academic publishing centres and institutional arrangements for their management, among other guidelines,” he said.