The Chairman of the Governing Council, Ajayi Crowther University, Dr Olutoyin Okeowo, has advocated for the inclusion of the University as beneficiary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, saying federal government must take steps to enlist private universities in the scheme.
Okeowo who praised the TETFUND scheme, made the call on Saturday during the opening of the Modupe Okeowo and Abiodun Ayanlaja Senate Building, which he personally financed and donated in commemoration of his 70th birthday.
He said public universities in the country are essentially undergoing impressive turnaround following the interventions of TETFUND, noting that underfunding has impacted in the activities of most private universities.
He said, “Private universities, like Ajayi Crowther University, face challenges related to funding, staff remuneration, infrastructure, and academic programmes.
“Unlike public universities, private institutions are not beneficiaries of government funds like those from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND). We consider this disparity unfair. The students and their parents, staff and management of private universities are also citizens of this country who have also directly or indirectly paid taxes from which TETFUND is realised.
“We humbly call on the Federal Government to urgently address this by extending the benefit of the fund to private institutions, most especially faith-based Universities like Ajayi Crowther University, that are not profit centers.”
He noted that ACU is on a steady path towards growth, highlighting the university’s commitment to developing innovative and globally relevant programmes.
In his welcome address, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Timothy Adebayo, thanked the Okeowo family, adding that the building would solve the institution’s space needs.
He also congratulated Okeowo on his birthday.
