The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, has condemned the Federal Government’s continuous exclusion of private universities from benefiting from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
He labeled this practice as “illegal, unfair, unconstitutional, and unjustifiable.”
During a recent visit by the leadership of Dominican University, Ibadan, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dokun Oyeshola, Aare Afe Babalola expressed his concerns about the discriminatory disbursement of TETFUND funds.
He emphasized the need for fairness in allocating resources to institutions providing quality education.
Oyeshola, seeking insights from ABUAD’s success, acknowledged the significant strides made by the university within its 14-year existence.
He highlighted the importance of learning from experienced institutions to enhance the development of Dominican University.
Aare Afe Babalola criticized the exclusion of private universities from TETFUND, stating, “Consequent upon the failure of public universities to fully accommodate most qualified candidates, licenses were granted to private individuals and organizations to establish private universities in 1999. With the passage of time, the number of such private Universities has increased steadily.”
He pointed out that while private universities offer a viable alternative to public institutions, they do not receive any funding from TETFUND.
Babalola emphasized the unconstitutionality of Section 7(1) of the TETFUND Act, which excludes private institutions from benefiting from funds collected from private companies.
Babalola suggested a solution to the issue, proposing that private universities operating on a permanent site, with a minimum of 20 accredited academic programs and active postgraduate studies, should have unrestricted access to TETFUND facilities.
The founder of ABUAD called on the National Assembly to amend the law, advocating for equitable access to TETFUND resources for both public and private universities.
He stressed that private universities, established by philanthropists, contribute significantly to national development.
ABUAD’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde, assured the visitors that Aare Afe Babalola’s commitment to running a non-profit private university focused on quality education had positioned ABUAD as a mentor to other institutions worldwide.
