Allow Private Varsities Access TETFUND, VC urges FG
The Vice-Chancellor, Salem University, Lokoja, Prof. Alewo Johnson-Akubo, has called on the Federal Government to allow private universities to benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, for the desired educational development in the country.
The Vice-Chancellor, who made the call in an interview with journalists in his office in Lokoja, described the call as “very germane” and necessary to turn around the nation’s education system.
Johnson-Akubo said, “It’s somehow that private universities are not part of the TETFUND funding as the public universities.”
“No doubt, TETFUND funding, ordinarily, is a proceed from what should be seen as a commonwealth, since we are all producing graduates that will serve the nation.
“I think it’s high time that such discrimination stopped. This is because nobody will tell you not to work in a particular office. After all, you’re coming from a private university.
“Therefore, I am calling on the government to see to it that private universities become as many beneficiaries of TETFUND as public universities because we are all working towards the same purpose.
“In fact, if you ask me about genuine universities that should benefit from TETFUND, I will tell you it’s the private universities in terms of ranking.
“This is because funding private universities is like extracting water from flinty rocks. I have the privilege to head a private university, and I understand the dynamics of finances,” he said
The VC noted that public universities had budgetary allocations, TETFUND, other grants, and all sorts of subventions, yet the private universities, which did not have anything at all, were denied access to TETFUND.
According to him, he sees no reason why private universities should not be integrated into the scheme of things for the TETFUND.
He said, “My clarion call to the government is to see to it that private universities, as one of the brightest hopes of the nation’s university education, benefit from TETFUND as soon as possible.”
The VC explained that Salem University “is that one institution where you bring your wards or children to, and in four years, we return them to you as finished products in every ramification, and devoid of strike.”
On the strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the VC called on both the government and union leadership to try, in the interest of parents and the loitering students, to see how they could shift grounds and come to some level of compromise, a little to the left and a little to the right, with priority to the centre.
Related Article: Despite ASUU Strike, FG Will Continue To Establish More Varsities – TETFund
FAQs: Allow Private Universities Access TETFund, VC Urges FG
Why is a Vice-Chancellor urging the Federal Government to allow private universities access to TETFund?
The Vice-Chancellor argues that private universities also contribute significantly to higher education by expanding access, producing skilled graduates, and supporting research. Granting them access to TETFund, they say, would improve infrastructure, research, innovation, and the overall quality of tertiary education.
What is TETFund?
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is a Nigerian government agency established to provide funding for public tertiary institutions. It supports infrastructure development, academic staff training, research, library development, and other educational initiatives through funds generated from the Education Tax.
Do private universities currently receive TETFund allocations?
No. TETFund interventions are primarily reserved for eligible public tertiary institutions, including federal and state universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Private universities are generally not beneficiaries of the fund under the current framework.
What are the arguments for and against extending TETFund to private universities?
Supporters believe that including private universities would strengthen research, improve educational quality, and benefit more students. Opponents argue that TETFund is financed through public resources and should remain dedicated to improving public institutions, which serve a larger proportion of students and often face greater funding challenges.
Would private universities automatically receive TETFund if the proposal is accepted?
Not necessarily. Any change would likely require amendments to existing laws or government policies governing TETFund. The Federal Government and relevant stakeholders would need to determine eligibility criteria, funding mechanisms, and implementation guidelines before private universities could access the fund.
