ASUU Warns FG Against Replacing TETFund with NELFUND, Citing Risk to Public Universities
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has strongly warned the Federal Government against replacing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) with the proposed Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed deep concerns about the potential negative impact on public universities and the broader Nigerian education sector.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Osodeke emphasized that TETFund has been the backbone of public university funding in Nigeria for the past three decades. He argued that dismantling or replacing TETFund would lead to the collapse of public universities, as it has been the primary funding source for their development and infrastructure.
“The only source of funding is from TETFund, so when you destroy it, you have destroyed public universities,” Osodeke stated, stressing the importance of maintaining TETFund’s role in sustaining tertiary education. He also accused certain members of the ruling class of deliberately undermining public universities, which he claimed is part of a strategy to keep the children of the poor disadvantaged and without access to quality education.
In his remarks, Osodeke criticized the tax bills introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which include plans to merge TETFund with other agencies like NASENI and NITDA. He pointed out that these proposals were made without consulting key stakeholders, such as ASUU, Vice Chancellors, and Pro Chancellors, who have been instrumental in the development of Nigerian universities. Osodeke described this approach as undemocratic and detrimental to the nation’s educational progress.
“TETFund is a product of ASUU. You can’t make tax laws without consulting with ASUU for inputs,” Osodeke explained. He expressed concern that the planned restructuring could strip TETFund of its impact, reducing its contribution to university infrastructure and services. He called for more thoughtful and inclusive decision-making in the government’s approach to educational reforms.
Osodeke further argued that TETFund has been crucial in funding 90% of the physical infrastructure across Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Replacing or merging TETFund with other organizations, he believes, would significantly diminish its effectiveness and could lead to its eventual abolition by 2030.
Rather than draining TETFund’s resources to finance NELFUND, Osodeke suggested that the government explore alternative funding sources, such as allocating a portion of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to NELFUND. This, he said, would ensure that existing educational funding mechanisms remain intact while still allowing for the creation and support of the new education loan fund.
“Let that Act that was initiated in 1993 that has transformed all Nigerian universities, allow it to stay. If you want to drive NELFUND, go and look for ways to fund it. Don’t take from the one that is in existence to fund it,” Osodeke urged. He emphasized that the success of TETFund’s initiatives is evident in the infrastructure present in nearly all Nigerian tertiary institutions today, and it would be a major step backward to weaken or eliminate this vital fund.
In conclusion, Osodeke warned that dismantling TETFund to fund NELFUND would not only be a step backward for Nigerian education but also a disservice to the progress made over the years. He urged the government to reconsider its approach and ensure that any new funding initiatives do not come at the expense of the successes achieved by TETFund in advancing Nigerian tertiary education.
