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| Prof Bogoro, TETFund boss |
Include
private varsities in TETFund intervention, VC appeals to FG
By
Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu
Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu
Abuja
The vice chancellor
of Evangel University, Okpoto in Ebonyi state, Professor Idika Kalu, has
appealed to the federal government to include private universities in the
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention.
Kalu made the appeal during a media interaction in his office Wednesday, saying
that it was regrettable that private universities were excluded from the fund.
He said that denying private universities TETFund support to finance their
academic programmes, including research and infrastructural development,
amounted to great injustice.
He stressed that the main aim of every academic institution was to contribute
to nation-building through imparting knowledge and character moulding rather
than profit-making.
Kalu said that the university, which is owned by the Assemblies of God Church,
Nigeria, was established to provide quality education in line with
international standard.
He said that private universities offered the same academic services like their
government-owned counterparts, hence the need for them to enjoy similar
financial assistance from the federal government.
Kalu hinged the high fees charged by private universities on the enormous
financial burden they bear in the attempt to maintain the best minimum standard
required by the regulatory agencies.
“The establishment of universities all over the world is usually not for
profits.
“Most of the foremost universities in the world started as faith-based, some
were established by individuals and families with trust.
“So, one cannot break even in a life time for establishing a university, no
matter the fee the person or organisation charges.
“Imagine a university established with N10 billion, what fee will students pay
within the life time of the proprietor to make him recover the capital.
“Students in private universities should be made to enjoy the education tax
paid by oil companies operating in Nigeria, which is collected as TETFund.
“Our lecturers should also be given the opportunity to benefit from research
grants from the fund.
“These private universities will still have to pay very high salary bills and
meet up with the requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and
maintain their learning facilities for best academic performance.
“Because education is a highly regulated industry, we have to meet the demand
and benchmark required of us,” the VC said.
of Evangel University, Okpoto in Ebonyi state, Professor Idika Kalu, has
appealed to the federal government to include private universities in the
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention.
Kalu made the appeal during a media interaction in his office Wednesday, saying
that it was regrettable that private universities were excluded from the fund.
He said that denying private universities TETFund support to finance their
academic programmes, including research and infrastructural development,
amounted to great injustice.
He stressed that the main aim of every academic institution was to contribute
to nation-building through imparting knowledge and character moulding rather
than profit-making.
Kalu said that the university, which is owned by the Assemblies of God Church,
Nigeria, was established to provide quality education in line with
international standard.
He said that private universities offered the same academic services like their
government-owned counterparts, hence the need for them to enjoy similar
financial assistance from the federal government.
Kalu hinged the high fees charged by private universities on the enormous
financial burden they bear in the attempt to maintain the best minimum standard
required by the regulatory agencies.
“The establishment of universities all over the world is usually not for
profits.
“Most of the foremost universities in the world started as faith-based, some
were established by individuals and families with trust.
“So, one cannot break even in a life time for establishing a university, no
matter the fee the person or organisation charges.
“Imagine a university established with N10 billion, what fee will students pay
within the life time of the proprietor to make him recover the capital.
“Students in private universities should be made to enjoy the education tax
paid by oil companies operating in Nigeria, which is collected as TETFund.
“Our lecturers should also be given the opportunity to benefit from research
grants from the fund.
“These private universities will still have to pay very high salary bills and
meet up with the requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and
maintain their learning facilities for best academic performance.
“Because education is a highly regulated industry, we have to meet the demand
and benchmark required of us,” the VC said.