At the opening of the 2023 Bauchi State Education Summit, former TETFund Executive Secretary, Professor Elias Suleiman Bogoro, emphasized that improving access and quality in education requires substantial funding contributions from federal, state, and local governments. The summit, themed “Improving Access and Quality Education,” held in collaboration with the Bauchi State Ministry of Education, aims to explore sustainable solutions for educational growth.

Professor Bogoro called on the Bauchi State government to allocate a fixed percentage of state and local income for tertiary education funding, noting that past achievements by TETFund were largely due to consistent federal investment. While commending Governor Bala Mohammed for dedicating 16% of the 2024 budget to education, Bogoro urged for increased future allocations to address the region’s high number of out-of-school children.

He highlighted the need for Northern leadership to take responsibility for improving the educational sector, citing the role of research funding in elevating Nigerian universities globally. Bogoro further encouraged stakeholders and civil society groups to support the Bauchi State government’s efforts to expand access to quality education across the state, stressing that sustained investment is crucial for meaningful progress.