Private Universities Want Your Tax Money: Fair Play or Wahala?

Photo: The Punch

The Gbege That's Shaking Nigeria's Education System

My people, if you've been following education news recently, you'll know there's serious wahala brewing in the corridors of power. The issue? Whether private universities should chop from the same TETFund pot that has been exclusively feeding our public universities all these years. E be like say some people want to eat their cake and have it too!

For those wey no sabi, TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) na the body wey dey collect 2% education tax from all registered companies in Nigeria. This money don dey go straight to public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to improve their infrastructure, fund research, and train lecturers. But now, some big men and women dey argue say private universities should also benefit from this public money.

The People Supporting This Move

The proponents of this policy change dey make some valid points sha. They argue that many private universities like Covenant University, Babcock, and Afe Babalola University dey contribute significantly to Nigeria's education sector. These schools dey train quality graduates wey dey compete globally, and some of them even get better facilities than many public universities.

Professor Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University, has been one vocal advocate for this inclusion. He argues that private universities dey reduce the burden on government by providing alternative education options. When you look am well, e make sense small - if government no need to build more public universities because private ones dey handle excess capacity, why not support them with some TETFund money?

Another argument na say many of these private universities dey offer scholarships to brilliant but poor students. If they get more funding from TETFund, they fit offer more scholarships and reduce their fees, making quality education more accessible to average Nigerian families.

Why ASUU and Other Unions Dey Vex

But wait o! The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other education unions no gree for this matter at all. Their position clear pass crystal: public money should remain for public institutions, period!

ASUU dey argue that public universities never even get enough funding from TETFund as e be. University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, and other federal universities still dey struggle with inadequate infrastructure, poorly equipped laboratories, and insufficient research funding. So why government wan share the small money wey dey with private schools wey their owners get money?

The union leaders also dey worry say if private universities begin chop TETFund money, the owners might slack for their own contributions. Why you wan put your own money when government money dey available? This fit make the whole system worse instead of better.

The Real Wahala: University Fees and Brain Drain

Now, make we talk the real matter wey dey affect ordinary Nigerians. If private universities no get this TETFund support, their fees go continue to dey expensive. Currently, schools like Covenant University, Bowen University, and American University of Nigeria dey charge between ₦1.5 million to ₦3 million per session. How many Nigerian parents fit afford this kind money?

This high cost dey force many brilliant students to either struggle in underfunded public universities or travel abroad for their education. And once these students reach abroad, many of them no dey come back again - na so we dey lose our best brains to other countries.

If private universities get TETFund support and reduce their fees to maybe ₦800,000 to ₦1.2 million per session, more middle-class families fit afford quality education for their children within Nigeria. This fit reduce the pressure on public universities and also reduce brain drain because students wey would have traveled abroad fit find good alternatives here.

The Other Side of the Coin

But e get another angle wey we need consider. If government begin give private universities public money, shouldn't they also have some control over these institutions? Should private university owners continue to set their own admission requirements, curriculum, and fees when they dey collect taxpayers' money?

Some people dey worry say this policy fit just be another way for rich people to use public money enrich themselves further. After all, most private university owners na already wealthy individuals or organizations. Why should market women in Alaba market and mechanics in Ladipo pay tax wey go benefit institutions wey their children no fit even afford to attend?

What This Means for Nigeria's Education Future

The truth be say Nigeria's education system need all the help e fit get. Whether na public or private universities, if the result na better education for Nigerian youths and reduced brain drain, then maybe we should consider am seriously.

But the implementation must be transparent and fair. If private universities wan chop from TETFund, they should agree to certain conditions like offering more scholarships, reducing fees, or accepting more government oversight.

As we dey wait for government final decision on this matter, one thing sure pass: whichever way the pendulum swings, e go affect how accessible quality higher education go be for the next generation of Nigerians. Make we hope say our leaders go choose wisely, because our children's future dey for stake.