EKSU Pro-Chancellor: Sole Reliance on TETFund for Funding’ll Destroy Varsities
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Pro Chancellor as well as Chairman of Governing Council, Ekiti State University (EKSU), Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), has called on governments to look for alternative funding of universities and stop sole reliance on Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to bankroll special projects in the universities.
Adesina appealed to critical stakeholders and philanthropists to fund education adequately in order to avert a looming catastrophe in the nation.
The respected legal icon gave this while briefing the management on Saturday on the success of EKSU’s 23rd Convocation ceremonies held last Saturday, where the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi was conferred with honorary degree of doctor of Public Administration.
Those honoured alongside Oba Ogunwusi at the ceremonies were: Chief Alex Olu Ajayi, Odoba of Ado-Ekiti, elder statesman and community leader, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, Executive Director, NITDA; Dr. Israel Ovirih, economist and entrepreneur; Dr. Falil Ayo Abina, current Executive Director Skye Bank and Dr. Adedapo Abiodun CEO, Heyden Petroleum, Nigeria.
Commending the TETFund for ensuring that funds are made available to universities for remarkable development of the ivory towers, Adesina said it was imperative that government must diversify the funding of universities, for optimal progresses to be attained in the area of infrastructures.
He urged parents, governments and all stakeholders to note that the greatest legacy one could give a child is quality education, adding that without this, a child becomes nothing because education is a liberator that takes your child from that zero point to a pinnacle where he can hold his head high in the global community.
While acknowledging the modest funding of University Education by Government, Adesina commended the substantial funding by the TETFund and NEEDS Assessment, saying that these organisations have saved the university system in Nigeria from total collapse.
The EKSU Pro-Chancellor expressed joy that Ekiti State University has attained a front-line position among Nigeria Universities with the recent success of the accreditation of its academic programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) which gave 100 per cent accreditation to 38 programmes presented across all faculties.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria reiterated his commitment to ensure that Ekiti State University becomes fully residential as he expressed displeasure with the off campus living system currently practised.
He commended the University management led by Professor Samuel Oye Bandele for prudence and transparency which has led to remarkable stability in the academic calendar with the 3rd Convocation Ceremonies in two and half years.
