Excluding private universities from TETFund discriminatory — Trinity Varsity VC
THE vice-chancellor of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, Prof Clement Kolawole has decried the continued exclusion of private universities from Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFund) coverage, describing such exclusion as discriminatory.
He argued that private universities also deserve to benefit, just like the government-owned tertiary schools, from TETFund money.
According to him, education is a social service and graduates from private schools are expected to contribute just like their peers from public schools to the national development, hence the need to factor them in by TETFUND.
The acting VC, who gave this position at a recent mentorship programne, tagged: “Campus Flaws 2024” with about 700 senior secondary school students and teachers from private schools in attendance, said even though, the education tax fund was an idea of the Academic Staff Union of Universities( ASUU) years back, the Act that established it ought to have been amended to accommodate private tertiary institutions in the spirit of fairness .
He therefore urged the Federal Government to, without further delay, look into this demand and act accordingly.
He, however, declared that Trinity University was set up to make a clear difference from other universities in the country.
According to him, our university is set up to produce well-rounded and fit-for-purpose graduates across disciplines and also conduct societal-oriented research work and community services.
He disclosed that the university started in 2019 with just nine students and now has more than 1,000 students’ population.
He also noted that all its 16 courses in various disciplines are fully accredited by the National Universities Commission(NUC), and the relevant professional bodies for professional courses among them.
He pointed out that the university had both capable academic and non-academic workforce and also a conductive and cult-free environment that inspires creativity, innovation, ingenuity, and robust curriculum that produces the total-man with impeccable character and leadership skills.
SOURCE: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
