Stakeholders Warn Against Amending TETFund Act to Include Private Universities
Professor Osodeke expressed concerns about pressure on the National Assembly to make such amendments, suggesting that private universities should instead pay education tax to the Federal Government rather than seek public funds.
AKACHI NOEL 
During the 2024 TETFund’s Strategic Planning Meeting in Abuja, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other stakeholders, including the President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, cautioned the Federal Government against amending the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to include private universities as beneficiary institutions.
Professor Osodeke expressed concerns about pressure on the National Assembly to make such amendments, suggesting that private universities should instead pay education tax to the Federal Government rather than seek public funds. President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, supported this stance, emphasizing that including private universities would be counterproductive to TETFund's efforts to revitalize public tertiary institutions.
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At the meeting, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, announced the increase of education tax from 2.5 percent to 3.0 percent in 2023. New intervention lines were introduced, such as the establishment of Career Centres/Unit and Institution-Based Skills Development for Polytechnics. The meeting addressed concerns raised in the previous year and outlined plans for 2024, including enhancements for teaching practice allocation and increased allocation for Special High Impact Programme (SHIP) in Special Direct Disbursements.
While stakeholders acknowledged TETFund's significant role in supporting public tertiary institutions, there were warnings not to burden the fund with additional responsibilities. The Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Prof Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, commended TETFund's impact on infrastructure development in Nigerian institutions and highlighted its influence on other African countries.
However, Dr Solomon Udah, the Executive Director of Education Rights Initiative, advocated for creating an enabling environment for privately owned institutions instead of amending TETFund to include private universities. He emphasized the importance of supporting private investors in education beyond universities.
