Kehinde Fajobi
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kano Zone, has raised serious concerns over the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, accusing the Federal Government of attempting to eliminate the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), a crucial agency for public tertiary education funding.
Speaking to journalists in Kano, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Comrade Abdulkadir Muhammad, condemned Section 59(3) of the proposed bill, which outlines a phased reduction of TETFund’s funding, eventually leading to no allocation by 2030.
“Gentlemen of the press, this bill is nothing short of an attempt to systematically kill TETFund, the brainchild of ASUU, which has salvaged Nigeria’s public university system from imminent collapse over the years,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad reminded the public that TETFund originated as the Education Trust Fund (ETF) in 1993 following ASUU’s recommendations, aimed at addressing the chronic underfunding of Nigeria’s tertiary education.
“Since its establishment, TETFund has been the most successful agency in providing interventions to Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions,” he added, listing its achievements in infrastructure, research, staff development, and conference funding.
The proposed bill plans to allocate only 50% of the Development Levy to TETFund for 2025 and 2026, with the remainder distributed to other agencies. By 2030, TETFund would receive no funding.
“This move is anti-poor, unpatriotic, and destructive to the survival of public tertiary education in Nigeria,” Muhammad stressed.
ASUU warned that eliminating TETFund would reverse the progress made in improving Nigerian universities, taking them “many years backward.”
The union argued that TETFund has been essential in bridging the funding gaps left by low budgetary allocations to education.
ASUU-Kano Zone urged the National Assembly and the National Economic Council to block the bill.
“We urge well-meaning Nigerians and other stakeholders to prevail on the Federal Government to withdraw this bill immediately,” Muhammad appealed.
Also, the union vowed to continue its fight to protect TETFund and the future of public tertiary education in Nigeria, asserting, “We will not fold our arms and watch the systematic killing of TETFund.”