ASUU cautions FG against scrapping TeTFund, gives reasons
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has appealed to the Federal government to shelve the idea of abolishing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund.
The Owerri Zone of the union, comprising five universities in Anambra, Abia and Imo states, said scrapping TETFund will give private universities the room to thrive more than public universities.
Addressing reporters yesterday at the ASUU Secretariat of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, the ASUU Coordinator, Owerri Zone, Prof Dennis Aribodor,said the union will discuss with the National Assembly on the issue.
He said: “The far-reaching consequence of the new tax system is that from 2030, all funds generated from the Development Levy would be passed to NELFUND.
Read Also:
“ASUU Owerri Zone finds this development not only worrisome but also inimical to our national development objective because of the potential danger it has to the survival of TETFund.
“ASUU Owerri Zone has resolved not to stand by and watch the denigration or obliteration of TETfund which represents the positive testament to our union’s constructive engagements with Nigeria governments since 1992.
” It is our considered view that abrogating the TETFund Act 2011, by design or default, will be a great disservice not just to education but to Nigeria as a nation.
“As a result, ASUU Owerri Zone is urging all stakeholders in the education project particularly the National Assembly, especially the Senate President and the Speaker of House of Representatives, to do all within their capacity to protect TETFund from being abrogated under the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 and save the killing of public tertiary education.”
