Professor Peter Okebukola, former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, (NUC) has called on the Federal Government to include private universities in the schemes of tertiary university trust fund, TETFUND, as he also said that stress test should be carried out on them.
Professor Okebukola, who is the chairman, Board of Trustees, Caleb University, said this during an interview with Nigerian Tribune at the seventh convocation ceremony of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos.
Speaking further he said: “With regards to what government can do to help private universities, we are putting up a position that TETFund should be able to have provisions for private universities in his realms of intervention. The question is, where do you think the money from TETFund is coming? It is not from the public, but private.
“Graduates who are produced here in Caleb University and other private universities, are not going to work in the university or Lagos State only, but in other places. They are assets to the nation, so, we have to equip them. Steps should be taken to amend TETFUND laws so as to make provisions for private universities to enhance their capital development.
He advised Nigerian government to revisit its philosophy between 1921 and 1966, whereby it provided grants and aid to private institutions with the agreement that the graduates who were produced from these institutions would be made available to the entire citizenry for employment.
“We have universities all over the world, Harvard University is an example. This is a private institution that was established some 381 years ago. At the inception, the university had support through endowment from both the public and private and through other several instruments, until it was able to stand firm on its feet.”
“Today, a yearly budget of Harvard is more than the budget of the 153 universities we have in Nigeria. So, the concept is when a university is just growing, government should come to its aid help and when it is matured, the aid can be withdrawn. This is not just throwing money at the private universities, though there are some owners, who are not interested in government’s money. To them TETFUND should be performance-driven,” he said,
Professor Okebukola, urged the graduating students to deploy their talents and quality training to developing Nigeria.
“To my ‘Emerald Graduating Class,’ the entire country looks forward to you to be the God-Solution Persons (GSPs). You must be ready to deploy your God-given talents and the quality training you have received here to active service right from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme,’’ he said.
Brig-Gen. Mobolaji Johnson (rtd), the university`s Chancellor, urged all the alumni of the institution to be worthy ambassadors of the university.
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