By Ikenna Asomb

PERTURBED by the non inclusion of private universities in accessing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the Vice Chancellor, Adeleke University (AU),  Ede, Osun State, Professor Oluwole Amusan, has said that private universities cheated. Recall that in 2011, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan introduced TETFUND as an  intervention agency for managing, disbursing and monitoring the  education tax to public tertiary institutions in Nigeria to improve their standards.

Speaking at a World Press Conference, in the university’s Administrative Block , to herald its forthcoming convocation in September, Amusan argued that since they assist government in providing education to the populace like their counterparts in public  universities, there is urgent need for the administration of President  Muhammadu Buhari, to reconsider their years of appeal and include them in accessing the fund.

He said: “The issue of TETFUND has been in contentious debate for quite some  time now. As the Vice Chancellor of Adeleke University, we feel  cheated. We believe private universities should have access to  TETFUND, just like public ones. One of the reasons is because private  universities assist government in providing education to the populace.

If we are doing this, why should we be denied the funds that ought to  assist institutions in carrying out responsibility that government is  suppose to address. “Again, you will discover that private organizations and firms  contribute to the source of TETFUND through taxation.

If the source  also comes from private organizations, it is morally wrong to deprive  private universities from assessing that fund. This is the stand of  private universities in Nigeria, because this issue is always debated  and it has been our major concern for long. I can say openly that on

June 30, we are meeting again at Abeokuta and the major issue to be  discussed is accessibility of TETFUND to private universities. We feel  cheated and we think the new government should have a re-think about  this.”

Pointing however, that the institution will be holding the maiden edition of its convocation, this September, Amusan, said the university which derived its name from the founder, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, was given license by the National Universities Commission (NUC), on March 7, 2011.

The VC said: “We now have the following faculties- Arts, Business and Social Sciences, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law and Science. I’m happy to state that all our 13 programmes which were visited recently by the accreditation team of the NUC, were accredited.

“Of the 13 programmes, five of them were given interim accreditation for two years, while eight where given full accreditation for five years. Our pioneering students in these 13 programmes will be graduating by the grace of God in September this year and will be mobilized for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme,” said the don.